I was out walking the other day and I took a detour into the woods. I took the detour so I could be fascinated with what I might find, but I walked for some time before I realized that I was not looking around at all, just marching along straight ahead, totally missing the experience. Then I stopped, looked up to the top of a towering pine, and beyond that to the deep azure blue sky.
You get busy, you have a million things going on, and of course you have to have your sights set on what’s next, you have to know where you’re headed well before you get there. That makes perfect sense. But every now and then, don’t forget to look up, as advised in the following reflection.
Don’t Forget to Look Up
Don’t forget to look up. You might see an owl, a hawk, or something spectacular like an eagle in the treetop, or something magnificent, like the very top of a 200-foot-tall pine tree swaying and whispering in the wind, a tree that has been standing in that same spot for more than two centuries. You might see a purple and gold, orange and red, cloud-scalloped sunset sky. You might see a densely packed flock of birds, shape shifting, flying furiously as one, going together to someplace important in a manner that only they understand. You might see a cloudless sky, a deep azure blue dome that goes on forever and inspires you to dream. There is a grand, awe-inspiring life going on above you—always there, always going on—that might elevate your mood, connect you with magnificence, or certainly help you put the problems of the day in proper context.
Don’t forget to look to the side. There you will see your colleagues, your good friends, your brother, your sister, and your life partner. They’re helping you, working with you, laughing at your jokes, listening to your stories, listening for what matters to you, trying their best to understand what you think is important. They see you, they know you, they appreciate you. Cultivate your team, prioritize your relationships. The ride is richer and the bumps are softer. Look to your side and remember, you’re all on the journey together, so lean on each other when you need to, or even just when you want to.
Don’t forget to look down. You might see an old fallen tree, just a log now, a new home for bright green moss, the bottom surface merging itself with the soil of the forest floor; a tree that was just a seed hundreds of years ago, that probably grew to more than100 feet, stood tall for 200 years, then weakened and fell 50 years ago, and is now growing moss and fertilizing the ground around it for the next tiny seedling. You might see all of that if you look down. All that life, all those years, in that one spot where you stand. You might see a stone that’s been built into the base of a rock wall, a stone scraped and rutted from its travels through the ice age, but still reflecting the sun in tiny flecks of mineral, a stone that has seen a world that quite possibly no human being has ever seen, and now this very same stone is resting at your feet, holding other stones on its back, still standing guard, marking the perimeter of a field that has long since disappeared to become a forest. You might remember relatives, teachers, mentors, and other inspirational people that you no longer see. You might reflect on where you’ve been, who has helped you, who has inspired you, who and what came before you that gave you the opportunity you have now. We grow from the foundation that has been provided and we build something to enable others to do the same. Don’t forget to look down, it might be your dog or your cat reminding you of the lasting bond between you. It might be your child, someday, that you see looking up at you, looking right into your heart. Don’t forget to look down, feel humbled, fill yourself with appreciation and think about how you are adding to the foundation for all.
Don’t forget to look inside. Give yourself a break sometimes and appreciate the person you already are just as you embrace the person you are always trying to become. You are kind, sensitive, compassionate, warm-hearted, generous, patient, thoughtful, fair-minded and considerate. You are smart, funny, a good story teller, a good listener, a good problem solver. You are a good partner, a good teammate, a good friend, a treasured family member, and a responsible citizen of the world. You are resourceful, resilient and strong, which means every day can be full of promise. You struggle, you make mistakes, you say and do things you wished you hadn’t. You’re human. You’re a work in progress, we all are. You apologize, make amends, commit to do better the next time. You don’t give up. You’re not afraid of hard work and you know how to ask for help. Think about the people you admire, stories that inspire you. Remember to look inside, and at the end of the day, be proud of your own story.
Don’t forget to look behind you, into the longer shadow that you now cast. There you will see your parents. They are there to celebrate you, to marvel at your accomplishments, to share in your joy, to bask in your glory and pride. They know that your life is your own spotlight now, but they are there to cheer you on, to inspire you, to encourage you, to listen to your stories of mishap, amusement, adventure, and accomplishment. And they are there to help you up when you stumble. You can expect to be forever cared for. You can expect to be listened to with patience, appreciated, and treated with kindness and respect. Turn around whenever you need to, they are there when you might need someone to show you the way. They are there to lean on when you need a rest, when you need to unload a burden, when you need someone to help you think of what’s best. They are even there to carry you for part of the way if you need that. But have no doubt, they will always show up.
So, look ahead and watch where you’re going most of the time. Just ahead you might even see the moon laying down a pale orange path across the still and inky waters of the lake at night, but remember, every now and then, don’t forget to look up.
Love, Dad
