Look Up, Just Look Up

It was hot and humid on Monday, and then, in the evening, a cool front moved through and brought some rain. I had been in a meeting with a wonderful group of people, but in a small and cramped space. We gratefully stepped outside after the meeting and the air was already cooling. A luscious breeze refreshed us. Luscious and breeze go well together.

I came home and my husband Darcy and I sat outside to take in some more of the coolness and that lovely breeze. I looked up at the sky and saw this, just as the sun was descending for the evening:

Wow! And I would have missed it if I hadn’t looked up in that moment. Look up. Just look up once in a while. It reminded me of a post I had written years earlier on my “Habitual Gratitude” blog. Here is some of that post:

Look up. Two short words that can have a variety of meanings, many goals. Let's consider a few.

Look up at the awe-inspiring sky. Whether it be daylight and the endless blue on a clear day, or nighttime and the way the moon and light clouds create a masterpiece. As Brother David Steindl-Rast reminds us: "Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky." It is humbling to see our place in the world with the sky as our backdrop.

Look up from your phone, computer, or other device that has your attention. Look up at the person who is speaking to you, give him or her your full attention. Look into their eyes, at their facial expression, hear their voice. There is more to communication than the words being said. And please, when driving, look up at the road and the others sharing it with you.

Look up a word. I try to do that when I come across one I don't know or have forgotten. I even like using a good old-fashioned dictionary to look up words sometimes. I love words. Their variety and nuances and how a certain one is just the right one. I plan to continue growing my vocabulary, just like growing gratitude.

Look up and outside oneself. As a young child, I got the idea that God, or Great Spirit, or whatever name you may have, is up in the sky, that heaven is up. My view is broader today. I think this higher source of power and being is all around and also within each of us. It starts by looking up and looking out beyond my own thoughts and feelings. More is always revealed when I am able to do that.

Yesterday morning, I made my schoolwork more pleasant by sitting on our back patio in the pleasant air. Noticing movement, I saw a small yellow finch land a few feet away, near some yellow hanging lanterns. Maybe the color drew the bird there. As I worked all morning, I noticed the finch a few more times. One time, it seemed to be singing a brief hello to me. Another time, it took a drink from our fountain. I looked up from my work each time, delighted by this little creature sent my way. It was just the break I needed from the complexity of the task in front of me. Thank you little finch!

And thank you for the reminder to look up. Maybe we’ll even see the Northern Lights before the week is over. Onward!