mud puddle engineering

The rain was relentless today.

The ebb and flow of daily customers took hold of my attention as I refilled waters and dropped off food.

I exchanged words of greeting and goodbye with many, but the overriding feelings of disgruntlement due to the weather was what stuck with me after my shift ended.

Umbrella in hand I made my way to the school a couple blocks away where I was met by twenty-five exuberant faces practically bursting with excitement at the possibility of going outside.

Once again I was reminded of the power of perspective and how easily your outlook can transform a situation.

I stood smiling as the muddy playground was quickly constructed into a weaving maze of waterways and dams. An origami boat floated from one puddle to the next and shouts of glee resounded across the field when a “swimming worm” was discovered.

Two pylons turned into a tunnel connecting the puddles, and I watched as the kids waded through the dirt, clothing full of mud and hearts full of happiness.

As I observed them, blissful and unaffected by the less than idealistic weather something occurred to me:

A lot of the time, you are in charge of your own limitations and opportunities.

There is a fine line between the two. Be mindful of your outlook of choice.