So you’ve had a bad day. Traffic was an agonizing crawl, you spilled coffee on that new sweater, and the pizza delivery guy arrived 45 minutes late — with the wrong order, no less.

Pity pity. You’d do well to spend some time around Nicolas Noblitt, an inspirational little guy whose spirit and determination makes our daily hassles seem trivial.

Nicolas turns 3 next Wednesday, but his wisdom is that of a sage. Though he can’t pronounce any of these words, his smile and his enthusiasm speak clearly.

Twice every week, Nicolas bounds into the Prisco Community Center, eager to join his friends in the Fox Valley Park District’s preschool prep program, My Own Time.

He’s a boy on a mission; when his feet hit the floor, Nicolas can propel his walker down the long hall at a pretty good clip. Each stride is celebrated with another in quick succession.

“He’s motivated to be mobile,” says his mother, Natalie Noblitt, of Aurora, “and he’s determined to get where he wants to go.”

Born with spastic diplegia, Nicolas spent the first 101 days of his life at Rush-Copley Hospital. The ailment affects his lower body, making his legs stiff and rigid. Already, he’s undergone numerous surgeries and frequently receives Botox treatments to loosen his muscles.

None of that seems to matter to Nicolas and his friends.

“If he didn’t have his leg braces on, it would be tough to tell the difference,” said his teacher, Joann Peters. “He’s just one of the kids; there’s really no difference when they’re all together.”

Mom prefers it that way. She cuddles her little guy at night but spares him the coddling. If Nicolas gets turned around in his walker or gets stuck against a wall, she lets him be in charge of figuring things out.

Nicolas tackles such challenges head-on, and his progress has been remarkable. He’s not one for boasting, but chances are good that he’ll be walking on his own by first grade.

He just might be a local celebrity by then, if he’s not already. His friends are always excited to see him turn the corner and make his way down the hall, and Nicolas has similar friendships with workers the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association, which has helped guide his development.

“He’s very social and loves people,” Natalie said. “It’s exciting to see how well he interacts among groups. The Park District program provides him with great social interaction, and he’s really taken to learning, too.”

Natalie and her husband, Jeff — the director of marketing and communications at Waubonsee Community College — didn’t expect to be confronted with a challenge of this magnitude, especially considering Natalie had a healthy pregnancy. But Nicolas puts a fresh wind in their sails every day.

“He loves life,” Natalie said. “It’s hard for me to see his frustrations because I want everything for him.”

So does Nicolas — and he’s bound and determined to get it. He already walks the walk.

Jeff Long is the public relations manager for the Fox Valley Park District.