When you were younger, did you ever spend time looking up at the clouds? Trying to figure out what each cloud resembled?
Or did you ever lay back in the swing as you swung forwards and backwards, looking up at the sky?
Or laid yourself out on a picnic blanket at a park, or towel at the beach?
When is the last time you did that? When is the last time you took in the vastness of the sky? The fluffy cotton candy clouds? The wispy paint stroke ones? Or the clear blue not-a-cloud-to-be-seen sky? Or even checked out the moon or the stars on any given night?
For me, it’s been a while. Not as long ago as childhood, but probably a few years. The last time I truly remember taking in the clouds, the expanse of blue above me, was in the RV. Paul would drive, and I would check out the scenery. I loved the open spaces – farmland spread out, sky for miles in every direction, and rarely buildings or wires blocking the view.
I was taking a walk the other day and I realized: I don’t look up anymore.
I look down… at my phone, at the computer, at a book, at to do lists. I look ahead… while I’m driving, shopping, watching TV, walking our dog. Rarely do I make it a point to look UP.
And while this isn’t meant to relate to a positive perspective, I must mention that I think there is a correlation there. We turn the corners of our mouths up to smile. When someone is sad, they’re feeling “down” – and we try to “lift” their spirits. We tell them “chin UP.”
When we look up – at the stars, the moon, the sky, the clouds, the sun – we see that the world is so big. This reminds me of the movie The American Tail. The song “Somewhere Out There” on the soundtrack says, “and even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.” Isn’t that amazing? That I, over here in New York, USA, am looking up at the same moon as someone on the other side of the planet? (Of course, given the time of day and the time difference, but you get the gist.) The world is so large. So much bigger than the little things we trip over every day – neglecting our to do list, or binge watching a show on Netflix.
And you can feel that – really FEEL it – if you just stop for a moment and look up.
You’ll see the sky, the clouds, the stars, the moon, the sun. But you’ll also see birds, planes, trees, nests, squirrels, bees buzzing along. Everyone and everything with their own little agenda. And you get to witness it, even just for a minute.
Since I had this realization on my walk the other day, I have been making it a point to find a moment each day and look up. Whether it’s stopped at a red light or running into the store to pick up a few things… just a moment to stop and tilt my head upwards to take it in. And I believe it changes my mood almost instantly.
So, can you do this? Can you take a moment each day to stop the busy-busy and breathe and look up? I’d love to know if/how it changes you.
Raising LeBar 