Blue Skies

After many gray days in the last weeks, we welcomed two mostly sunny days in a row. I took the picture that is now the poem’s background on Sunday, just yards from my house. The poem composed itself yesterday. It has been very cold—below zero air temperatures and wind chill adding more of a bite. That didn’t keep me from getting outside to soak up some rays.

All that gray during the darkest time of the year in our neck of the woods was impacting us all. Suppressing energy. Depressing motivation. It puts me on edge. I love Nature and connecting with it. The Sun is so key in that connection. I know it is still there behind the gray, doing vital work, but I sure like to see it.

Being deprived of sunlight and clear skies made the return of the blue even more vibrant and energizing.

As often happens, words of songs come to me in these inspired moments. Yesterday it was Electric Light Orchestra’s Mr. Blue Sky. It is one of my favorites from the group, released in 1977. I had my mix of sad and uplifting songs in my teens. This was one of the uplifting ones. Here are some of the words:

Runnin' down the avenue

See how the sun shines brightly in the city

On the streets where once was pity

Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey

Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why

You had to hide away for so long (so long)

Where did we go wrong?

Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why

You had to hide away for so long (so long)

Where did we go wrong?

Hey you with the pretty face

Welcome to the human race

A celebration, Mr. Blue Sky's up there waitin'

And today is the day we've waited for

I am grateful for sunshine and blue skies. I can’t will them to show up, so I appreciate when they do.

Today is the day we’ve waited for. Go live it with presence and good energy. If the sun isn’t visible in the sky, we can still carry it with us.