Year of 365

October 15

AlexandraLing2000 thanks for the song recommendation

I'm riding my skateboard down a busy city sidewalk, my headphones playing music as I swerve around those people walking around me. The buildings stretch high into the sky, the sunlight glinting off of the glass panels and casting blinding beams of light onto the ground below. There are so many people out today and as I skateboard past, I take the time to admire every one. 

Here in the city there's a woman struggling with a cup of coffee in one hand, the other trying to hold open a file without spilling the papers all over the dirty sidewalk. Another woman notices her struggle and helps her when she nearly drops the file. The two smile at each other and start chatting. Turns out they were going to the same place. 

Across the street, there's a man with his daughter up on his shoulders. She's got her hands stretched out toward the sun, a bright smile on her face that could rival the brightness of the sun. When her father spins around, she lets out a shriek of joy and grabs his head to keep from falling off, but she's laughing louder than anyone else in the street.

I continue through the city, sometimes riding on the streets rather than the sidewalks, though I'm careful to avoid the cars. Slowly, the skyscrapers and apartment buildings fade and I end up in the suburbs, where the houses are packed together, though still with large green oaks and pines scattered across the path. Some have branches long enough to cast shadows across the whole street, the odd burst of sunlight flickering as it manages to slip through the leaves.

Alone on an empty street, I laugh and spread my arms wide, spinning on top of my board. There are a few children decorating their driveway with chalk and they wave to me as I pass, large grins on their face as they call my name. This is my neighborhood. 

But then I see something that nearly makes me freeze. They're standing in front of me, their arm slung around their partner's waist, their lips pressed up against the corner of their mouth. Neither of them realize that I'm there and soon, the one I once loved gets in their car, leaning out of the window to wave goodbye to their partner. I felt my heart wrench in my chest. I swerve out of the way as they spin their car around. They wave to me as well, but I ignore them, continuing up the street. I know that they suspect that something's up, but I can't be bothered to worry about that now. 

I continue away from my neighborhood, no longer interested in returning home. I continue along until I reach the boardwalk, which is by far my favorite place to be. It's here I kick up my board and smile at the way that the light bounces off of the waves. I take a deep breath and lean on the railing. 

Sure, not everything is perfect in life. Nothing's perfect. But that doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful.