A day

The sun shines brightly in the peaceful blue sky, while a few clouds mingle about. The breeze is soft, caressing the faces of those who are out, taking advantage of the day. A creek runs by the quiet town, in which animals and children alike delight in playing in. It has been a long time since the town has seen any trouble, and it will be a long time yet before it does.

A pair of dogs run down the street, barking and playing together, their owners some yards behind them, holding a light conversation. They don't have the dogs on leashes, but they know that they've done a good enough job training them. Neither dog will run away, and they won't hurt anyone. They don't have to worry about any cars coming down the road, either. There are very few people with cars in town, and those who do very rarely drive them around, anyway.

In front of one house, parents are setting up the sprinkler while their children watch in anticipation, long since dressed in their swim suits. They've been waiting for weeks to get this chance, and their parents have finally caved in to their demands. The sound of the sprinkler squirting to life is accompanied by the children's delighted cries as they dash forward into the water. The parents watch on from the sidelines, laughing to themselves, secretly jealous of the fun that they have so long been without. Their kids call to them to join them, and as much as they want to, they shake their heads. But they're ok. Seeing the smiles on their children's faces is good enough for them.

A bird flies by overhead, carried in by the overhead winds. It lands on a tree nearby the playing children, and tilts its head, watching them. It can't understand what they are doing, but it recognizes the sound of joy in their voices. Soon it joins them, tweeting happily away, letting its song join their cries in the air.

An older man, living on his own, looks up from his book that he has been reading on his front porch as he hears the bird sing. He smiles to himself, remembering a far off memory of happy times. He looks down and sees the children playing, and thinks of his grandchildren in another town. He wonders to himself if they are doing the same. He can feel his phone in his pocket, and he makes a plan in his head to call them later. It always brightens his day to hear his family's voices, especially at how excited the children get at hearing that grandpa is calling.

A young girl slips out of her house, painting supplies in hand, and runs down to the creek where she knows no one will be playing. She likes to go there on days like this, so that she can practice her painting in peace. It's not that people discourage her from painting. It's simply that she finds it easier when it is quiet, and she is alone. When she gets home, she will probably take her painting and hang it on the fridge or give it to her mom as a present.

The sun has only reached the halfway mark in the sky, but it is already a good day, and it's not going to stop any time soon.