High Fivin' It.

Today, we're going to talk about an American past-time. No, it's not baseball, and no again, it's not Jersey Shore. It's the high five. Relive it with me: elbow bending at the perfectly relaxed 90-degree angle, milliseconds of anticipation as both hands raise and move toward each other, and that satisfying palm-to-palm smack. BOOM.

That's the sound of a good moment giving birth to a great day. I don't know who you are, where you come from, or what you're about -- but I know that you gotta love that beautifully loud high five and its ten finger-crack. Though simple (and majestic) to the eye, a good high five is a culmination of several skills:

Mad skill.

• Hand-eye coordination: Without this, what could have been some serious thunder is now a forceful grazing of the pinky fingers. And that is just not satisfying at all. It's also awkward. (Tip: Look at the other person's elbow when you go in for the slap)
• Delivery:  Raise that hand high and throw your back into it. High fives are meant to be loud; leave every ounce of force in your muscles on the other person's hand to achieve maximum smack status. 
• Attention: This is absolutely crucial. I personally feel that one day is a constant string of moments that could merit a high five. You have to be ready for it at all times, not only so you can take part in the awesomeness of the move but also to ensure that you don't get smacked in the face -- or worse, accidentally smack someone else in the face.
• Guts: Every time you go up for the high five, you're putting yourself out there. It's a vulnerable moment. Someone could leave you hangin', and then you'd have to scratch your head or pretend to wave to someone far off on the horizon. But you gotta put it out there to get it back. The satisfaction of a mutual smack between friends (or strangers) is one of life's greatest pleasures, and it's so worth the effort. In the words of Johnny Tsunami, "Go big or go home."

High fives amp the greatness of every possible moment. They can be congratulatory, like when you answer a question right in class, sink a jump shot, or succeed in not eating it on the icy walk to class. They can be celebratory, like when someone more athletic than you scores a jump shot, or when you find out class was cancelled. They can be congenial, like when you find someone else who will only eat the extra crunchy variety of peanut butter. They can be encouraging, like when you unintentionally fold on a four-of-a-kind and need something to alleviate the humiliation. Anything and everything deserves a high five. Think about that as you go through your day and you'll realize what a great day it really is. High five for being alive. It's actually quite a feat when you think about it.