If you were to ask any person what they wanted to be when they grew up, they’d say a doctor, a teacher, a journalist, a lawyer, or some other profession. It’s not often that you get the response, “Happy.” Well, that’s what I want to be when I grow up. No matter where I end up, I want to be happy, I want to be yellow.

Everyone has a favorite color; blue, light pink, forest green. Each color represents something, each color has a story. My favorite happens to be yellow. To me, it symbolizes positivity, warmth, happiness. These are all of the things I want to be. This is the story I want my life to tell.

I pride myself on almost always having a positive attitude about things, no matter what happens. I want to radiate positivity and have a contagious spirit. To be constantly smiling and giggling. Life is too short to spend time being unhappy, to spend time being mad. I want my soul to be yellow. To be that driving life force that awakens people in the morning sunrise, that glows in a field of sunflowers, that bright color of once-green leaves in the fall, the fresh spirit of new tulip bulbs in the spring.

Yellow is a color that demands to be felt at every waking moment. It dies to bring happiness, sympathy, warmth to lives. It radiates self-confidence and courage. It allows us to breathe, to be born again with the light of a new day. I want to encompass the beauty of the sun, for no one has ever called the sun ugly; it is too flooded with yellow to be anything but breathtaking. Some may think yellow is too bright, others may think it is too happy; I think neither. It is bright, and it is happy, but they are good feelings. They are not overwhelming, they are perfect. Yellow screams happiness from the highest rooftops and from the shortest fields.

As I look around, I realize that we all have some yellow in us. Whether it be in the light of their eyes, the hope in their voice, or the lightheartedness in jokes, we all symbolize a new day. I want to leave an impact of warmth, of hope, of happiness on those I meet. I want them to know my soul.

“In the world of safe hues, like black, red and white, yellow shouts: ‘Look at me. I'm happy!’" -Joy Sewing