Happiness

This evening we decided to take a walk down to the park, something we do fairly often these days now that we live less than a block away from one. Ryan and Bears were walking just ahead of me and bitty Biscuits snuggled up against my back in his carrier. The sun was about an hour from setting so it was right smack in our eyes. I couldn't see much of anything except for the silhouette of Ryan and Bears up ahead, a bright halo of sunlight surrounding them. I was struck with the idealistic image of father and son: the only defining characteristics were Ryan's height and broad shoulders, and then Bears' tiny size and bouncy, awkward gait as he loped alongside him. I felt a tightening sensation in my chest as I thought about how I get to call them mine -- my family. It was one of those moments that you'll have occasionally where you can tell will be etched into your permanent memory banks, something to grasp for when times are hard. It's the perfect knowledge of what happiness feels like...in this case, it's warm sunlight and my boys. Also, happiness smells like spring. Figures.