Today, I saw dust particles flying through the air.

Spotlighted by the sunlight beaming through my bedroom window, the particles danced with one another, basking and rejoicing in the beautiful day that one could perceive as spring from the indoors.

As I walked outside, however, it was still cold.

I still needed my coat, the wind was still biting, and the temperature was still at the winter standard.

This brisk air is different from yesterday’s, though. It was bearable, promising.

Today, I saw a cloudless sky.

As I got into my car and drove around town, I needed my sunglasses. There were no bars holding back the effervescent sun. She was able to shine down upon us all. She transformed the sky from an opaque gray to a vibrant cerulean. 

She knew—as we entered yet another month of the same agonizing regime—that we needed a moment of quiet placidness in the dreadful dreariness; that is exactly what she gave us.

The cloudless sky allowed for my car to not be unbearably cold when I first got inside, as the unshackled sun was able to kiss the seats with her everlasting warmth. 

Today, I saw people walking.

As a people-watching connoisseur, I have become fond of the act of observing. I drove through my neighborhood and through the streets, and everyone took to the sidewalks today. Their bodies were still adorned with coats, hats, earmuffs, and gloves, but they took every ounce of sunlight they could soak up.

Some were walking with a partner, whether it be their significant other or their lifelong companion. Some were accompanied by their pets, constantly stopping to curiously sniff the grasses around the mailboxes and the other people passing by. Some were by themselves, walking and running, getting their exercise outside, rather than at an overcrowded gym with minimal windows.

They, much like I, are taking this moment to breathe in the sunny day tucked between the cloudy ones. They know it won’t be like this in three days, but it soon will be.

Today, I woke up happier than the day before.

While, in theory, that sounds difficult for me to hear, considering how much I enjoyed yesterday, I didn’t wake up to the sun calling my name. Yesterday, it was much colder. And while the sun was beating down, there were still clouds blocking her way. 

Today is different. The sun was shining as I woke up, and it stayed like that even while setting. And as the sun shone down on my eyes, still adjusting to the brightness, I smiled. Everyone seemed to be happier today. The man who checked out my groceries at the store told me about the delicious breakfast he had in Cedar Springs with his wife. People indulging in outdoor runs were waving to me as I drove past them.

We all know what is to come, and we are all in agony as we wait.

Today, we are one day closer to spring.