White and grey hued clouds peppered the blue expanse of sky as I got on the bus to begin the first leg of my morning commute to work. As I stood, holding on to a pole, swaying with the push and pull of the vehicle, I noticed two fellow passengers.
They were of Hispanic decent and looked to be Father and daughter. He was dressed in a blue denim jacket with a matching denim hat and jeans. She was perched sideways on his lap facing my direction, and underneath her off white cap, her shoulder length hair fell straight as black rain. She looked to be about 3 or 4, and quietly smiled to herself when her guardian--again father, I think-- drew her in for a hug. At one point, we made eye contact and I smiled a quick hello.
When their stop was approaching, he picked her up and she, in turn, curled her arms around his neck in a hug that spoke of love and trust and sleepiness. Then as they exited, he called out to the bus driver in a clear, strong voice, "Thank you! Have a good day!" And the little girl, now cradled over his left shoulder, expressed her goodbye with a shy wave of her right hand.
A snapshot of sweetness at the start of my day.