Sarah Thorne knew her dad had only wanted one thing for the past eight years: a pair of light-up sneakers.
You know, the kind that blink every time you take a step? You may remember them from the hallways of your elementary school.
GIF from Famous Footwear
The only thing stopping her dad from getting a pair of his own was his assumption that light-up shoes were designed exclusively for kids.
So when Thorne found a pair of adult-sized light up sneakers, she had the camera rolling to capture her dad's reaction when he opened them on his birthday.
GIFs via Storyful/YouTube.
After a brief moment of confusion, he squeezed the heel and those bad boys lit right up and...
...her dad leapt out of his seat with surprise and delight.
When's the last time you felt this level of pure, childlike happiness?
Most of us are barely out of high school when the world starts slapping us in the face with adultness. Our favorite childhood foods start to taste bland, our favorite bands from fifth grade sound like whiney strangers with guitars, the shows and movies we once found inspiring start to lose their shine in the hindsight of adulthood and real life experiences.
We have to deal with things like paying taxes, and getting jobs, and being adults who have bills and responsibilities. We have to deal with "the Mondays" and people who say "the Mondays."
In short, sometimes it can feel like adulthood means smiling less; we start to take little joys for granted.
Moments like the one Sarah Thorne captured with her dad are proof that pure joy has no age.
You're never too old to be delighted by something small and silly. In fact, those small, silly things can sometimes be the most important — because they can brighten your day when you need it most.
Plus, light-up sneakers are awesome. Always.