This past week I spent a good chunk of my time trying to work Stevie Wonder’s rendition of the song “Sunny” into my theology paper — we were supposed to compare a piece of art to a biblical passage. While I don’t think my paper went over very well, I did spend some time thinking about the importance of this song, originally written by Bobby Hebb in 1966, and redone by Stevie Wonder in 1968. It details the speaker finding their “Sunny” — a person who introduced bright days into their life and erased the rainy days. Now that they’ve found their “Sunny,” they feel “10 feet tall” and spend much of the song thanking this “Sunny” for what they’ve done.
After listening to the song on repeat, I started thinking about what my own “Sunny” is. We all should, I think. Toiling through this theology essay and other seemingly meaningless work of the week made me want to think about what I loved in my life — what things truly brighten my life and have made me feel “10 feet tall?”
My mother is undeniably my favorite person. Calling her to vent about whatever petty and stupid things are going on in my life relieves stress and anxiety. She knows more about me than anyone else and is more up to date on my life than I’d like to admit. She is my best friend and my greatest supporter. Her love shines brighter and more fiercely than even the rainiest of days. She truly gives me her “all and all.”
Writing can lift me up and release emotions in a way I cannot believe is possible. It helps me understand myself and the world around me. Reading allows me to escape into another world and see things outside of my own perspective. Television and movies allow me to obsess over something in a not-anxiety-ridden way. All of these give me “the facts from A to Z.”
My friends — from my roommates (current and soon-to-be), to high school friends, to anyone who has spent time with me — fill me with joy. The jokes we make and the adventures we take build memories that I’m confident will last a lifetime. Thank you guys for “that smile upon your face.”
There are many more people and things that brighten my life each and every day. But for now, for my last viewpoint of the year, I’d like to say thank you to those who deserve it the most.
I encourage everyone to think about their sunnies, and take a moment to be grateful for them. Who — or what — is there for you when nothing else is? Thank them. They are your “Sunny.”
