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Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for June 5th. Now, if you’ve ever looked up at the sky and seen a giant floating basket carrying brave humans across the clouds, you already know what we’re celebrating. That’s right—today is Hot Air Balloon Day.

It’s a day to honor the joy of drifting peacefully through the sky, carried only by heated air, colorful fabric, and what I can only assume is a high tolerance for heights and a deep trust in wicker. “Let’s go up, way up.” No steering wheel. No brakes. Just fire, fabric, and faith.

In the spirit of rising above, today’s quote comes from the one and only Mary Poppins—yes, the practically perfect one once said,

Now, I know Mary Poppins isn’t technically real, but this quote is—ironically—grounded in truth. When you're high above the earth, whether by balloon, plane, or pure imagination, you’re reminded that the world is so much bigger than your to-do list or the email thread that won’t die.

Today’s holiday is a celebration of perspective. It’s about literally floating above the noise, the rush, and the relentless pressure to be productive every second. And Mary’s quote reminds us that few people ever get that bird’s-eye view—so when you do, you should take it all in. You don’t need a hot air balloon to do that, though it would make your commute more exciting.

Sometimes, all it takes is stepping back from the situation, looking at your life from a distance, and realizing that what feels huge right now might just be a tiny dot from above.

So on this Hot Air Balloon Day, let yourself float—even just mentally. Look at your life from a new angle. See the beauty, the quiet moments, the horizon you forgot was there. Because from up high, things look a lot less tangled—and a lot more wonderful.

I actually went on a hot air balloon about 15 years ago. I won a sales contest at work and the prize was a couple tickets in a hot air balloon. So Valerie and I went up into the sky and survived. Valerie almost lost it as we floated upwards but then settled down and enjoyed the peaceful view. But our landing was exciting as we actually hit the top of a tree as we came down for a landing. Good times.

Thanks for floating through this episode with me. I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for today but I’ll be back tomorrow - same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote!