The last couple of weeks have been completely bat-crap crazy. 🦇
Not mildly inconvenient.
Not “I spilled my coffee” difficult.
More like “What fresh nonsense is this?” every time I opened the news.
There have been food worries, smoky skies, strange air, scratchy throats, headaches, and enough stress to make a person suspicious of lettuce. 🌱
Honestly, I am not interested in giving any of that more attention today.
Today, I want to talk about blue skies.
Yesterday, Ohio looked like someone had placed a dirty gray filter over the entire state.
The sun was there somewhere, but it was doing its best impression of a porch light seen through an old screen door.
The sky was hazy.
The air felt heavy.
Everything looked a little strange and unsettling.
It was the kind of day that made you look outside and think, “Well, this seems normal,” in the exact tone that means absolutely nothing seems normal.
Then today happened.
Blue sky.
Actual blue sky. (Other than a few bursts of gray)
Fluffy white clouds. (Except when a quick storm cloud passed by.)
Sunshine that looked like sunshine instead of a glowing orange ball from an apocalyptic movie.
And let me tell you, I was impressed.
I have seen the sky before.
Many times, actually. 😁
But apparently, I needed to lose sight of it for one day to fully appreciate its return.
Welcome Back, Sky
I stepped outside and looked up like the sky had personally come back from vacation.
There it was, bright and blue, dotted with clouds that looked soft enough to nap on.
Not that I would.
I am not climbing anything higher than a sturdy step stool these days. Or napping. But a gal can dream….
Still, the clouds were lovely.
The whole morning felt lighter.
The trees looked greener.
The flowers looked brighter.
Even the birds seemed extra cheerful, although they may have simply been arguing over a worm. 🐛
Nature is beautiful, but it is not always peaceful.
Sometimes it is basically a neighborhood dispute with feathers.
Still, it felt good to see everything clearly again.
We spend so much time looking down.
Down at our phones.
Down at the laundry.
Down at the grocery receipt while wondering whether we accidentally bought part of the store. 💸
Down at the floor because somebody spilled something sticky and no one is willing to admit responsibility. (It was the Smurfs, right?)
We forget to look up.
Yesterday reminded me that the sky is not just background decoration.
It changes the whole feeling of a day.
The Beauty of Ordinary Things
Blue skies are not rare.
Fluffy clouds are not unusual.
Sunshine in July is certainly not breaking news.
But that may be the problem.
We become so used to ordinary beauty that we stop seeing it.
We barely notice a clear sky until it is gone.
We do not think about fresh air until breathing it becomes unpleasant.
We forget how good an open window feels until we need to keep it closed.
Then suddenly, the ordinary becomes wonderful.
A breeze feels luxurious.
A bright cloud feels hopeful.
A clear view across the yard feels like a tiny celebration.
Maybe joy is often like that.
It is not always fireworks, vacations, big announcements, or life-changing news.
Sometimes joy is realizing the sky is blue again.
Sometimes it is clean sheets.
A cold drink.
A song you forgot you loved.
A child laughing in another room.
Finding money in a coat pocket.
Someone else unloading the dishwasher without being asked.
(That last one may actually qualify as a miracle!)
We Have Enough Heavy Things
There are plenty of serious things happening in the world.
We know that.
We feel it.
Most of us are carrying more than other people realize.
We do not need to pretend everything is perfect.
But we also do not have to give every ounce of our attention to what is frightening, stressful, or wrong.
We can make room for light things too.
Funny things.
Kind things.
Small things that make us smile for no important reason.
There is no rule that says we must remain miserable just because something stressful happened yesterday.
We are allowed to enjoy today.
We are allowed to sit outside and admire the clouds.
We are allowed to laugh.
We are allowed to be grateful without feeling guilty that someone else may be having a harder day.
Gratitude is not ignoring the world’s problems.
Sometimes gratitude is simply refusing to let those problems steal every beautiful thing from us.
Kindness Feels Better in the Sunshine
Maybe today is a good day to spread a little light around.
Nothing enormous.
No need to reorganize your entire life or become a motivational speaker by dinner.
Just something small.
Compliment someone.
Send a funny message.
Let someone go ahead of you in line.
Drop off a gift to a friend.
Wave to the neighbor.
Tell a tired parent they are doing a good job.
Return the shopping cart.
(Yes, even if it is hot.)
(Especially if it is hot!!)
We are trying to be good humans here.
Kindness does not have to be dramatic to matter.
Sometimes it is simply being the person who makes a difficult day feel slightly less difficult.
We never really know what someone is carrying.
A little patience can mean more than we realize.
A smile can soften a moment.
A kind word can stay with someone longer than we expect.
And laughter?
Laughter is one of the best ways to remind ourselves that stress does not own us.
Today’s Very Simple Assignment
Look up.
That is it.
Look at the sky.
Notice the shape of the clouds.
Feel the breeze.
Listen to the birds conducting their tiny outdoor arguments.
Find one ordinary thing that feels especially good today.
Then be grateful for it.
You do not have to write it in a journal.
You do not have to turn it into a personal-growth project.
You do not need to create a color-coded gratitude spreadsheet.
Just notice it.
Enjoy it.
Let it be enough for a moment.
Today, mine is the blue sky.
The fluffy clouds.
The return of fresh-looking air.
The reminder that even after a strange, heavy, hazy day, the world can look bright again.
And maybe that is the kindness we all need today.
Not another warning.
Not another reason to worry.
Just a little sunlight, a little laughter, and a reason to look up.
Light and Love!
~Mandy
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