All sunshine and smiles

It seems unfathomable that something as random as the weather can have such a profound affect on our collective moods. There are acronyms and labels for every possible emotion we feel at every possible time. This can seem pervasive and burdensome at times, but it can be very instructive as well. Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is a very real emotional crisis for many people, centering around a lack of sunshine and repeated bouts of dreary weather. Again, it seems random and trivial that the weather can do this to us. But it does! Fortunately, on the other end of this meteorological spectrum was an outlier like today. A midsummer day randomly invading the end of winter: 81 degrees at the track on March 9. 81 bloomin' degrees. Shorts, t-shirt, tube socks pulled up high ... on March 9. Are you KIDDING me?

Hey. We'll take it. The smiles were broad. The spring in our collective step was, well, springy for sure. Everyone was happy -- ebullient, even! Steeplechasers steepled. Hurdlers hurdled. The vibe was impossibly sunny and bright. What's the saying? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? Yeah. Well. Thank you, global warming, El Nino, La Nina, the liberal media ... whatever or whoever the reason for this weather day. Thank you, thank you. A happy team is like a ray of sunshine that keeps on shining. Nicely done, Mother Nature!