Infectious Joy

     I waited for the arrival of a presidential candidate. My eyes scanned the crowd in Ohio. A group of children had gathered by a downtown store. They were enjoying each other's company. Nothing special in that. Kids by nature revel in socializing.
     But this group was special. They exuded a joyfulness that was infectious.
     I wasn’t surprised. They wore uniforms from a private Catholic school.
     Photo assignments have taken me into lots of schools—private and public. I’ve noticed that religious school students, on average, seem happier than public school kids.
     Uniforms might contribute to the happiness of the religious kids. They wear the same outfits according to gender. There’s no pressure to wear trendy and expensive clothes.
     Public school students dress as they wish. With that freedom comes pressure.
     I prefer self expression revealed through personality rather than fashion.