I've Looked at Clouds...

In the 1960's there was a very popular song that included the lyrics, "I've looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow, it's clouds illusions I recall, I really don't know clouds, at all..."

I love this song.  I even learned to play it on the guitar at one point.  (Please don't request me to play it now.  That was a LONG time ago)!  This song teaches a wonderful lesson about a subject that has been critical in importance in my life.  PERSPECTIVE.

Let me give an example.  The first time that I flew in a plane we moved up, up, up, and up some more.  To me it felt as though we should be reaching lunar orbit at any moment.  AND THEN...we broke through the low level cloud cover.  MAGIC!  The day had been gray, the sky angry, and then we burst through the clouds and the sky was BLUE.  Actually it was azure ambrosia.  That song became ever so meaningful at that point. 

I saw a movie once that spoke to the concept of creating your own reality.  This experience of learning that above the angry gray storm clouds was a serene blue sky helped me to appreciate that creating your own reality is a possibility.

I'm not speaking about being in denial.  Not affirming or experiencing that there are elements, facets, in your life that may be downright UGLY is not what I'm referring to.  (Sometimes my words feel so clumsy as I try to describe the ideas in my mind). 

Let me tell another story.  (I learn best by story telling.  Maybe it helps you as well)?

January and February have been hibernation months all of my life.  For whatever reason those months often find me confined to my bed with bronchitis.  When you add the bronchitis infection on top of my regular laundry list of medical issues it is ever so easy for me to feel limited, and less than.  I usually spend most of my time at home.  I'm nervous to be around others who may cough or sneeze, and make me even sicker.

One day as I struggled to breathe I sat up in bed and moved forward.  The distance I moved was literally about four inches.  I had been looking out my westward window and was seeing only blue sky.  Moving those four tiny inches changed my point of view.  Suddenly I was seeing a golden blaze of sunlight moving through clouds tinted salmon, coral, orange.  The sky was simply a wonderment of color, texture, and pattern.

If I had NOT moved those teeny, tiny, 4 inches forward, I WOULD have seen the lovely blue, but I would have MISSED the glorious sunset below.

My challenge to you is this.  Today, move those four inches.  Working in a job that you don't like but pays the bills?  Open your mind to new possibilities.  There is ALWAYS a blue sky above gray clouds. 

One last story.  A loving Mother was frustrated with her quarrelsome ten year old daughter.  She wanted her daughter to understand the principle of PERSPECTIVE. Lovingly the Mom guided her daughter to the window.  She said, "Sweetie, look out the window and tell me what you see."

Her daughter replied, "Oooh Mom, do you ever wash these awful windows?  They are streaked and dirty.  Yuck, there are dead bugs on the window as well."

Holding on to her patience the aggrieved Mother said, "OK.  Now look THROUGH the window and tell me what you see."

"Oh, wait, the sky is so blue today.  There are such fluffy, white clouds.  Look that funny little one looks like an elephant.  Wow, when did those flowers come up?"

The Mother said, "Sweetie, in life there will always be streaks and dead bugs that will be easy to see.  You might feel like focusing on those things.  On the other hand if you can look past those negative things, there will ALWAYS be something positive.  (Please pay close attention to the next line.  Are you listening?  Ready, set, go).  WHERE DO YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS?

Today...this very moment if the day seems dark, gloomy, overwhelming, or just plain tragic look past that dirty, streaky, bug filled part of your life.  You may be surprised by the sunset that is just four inches away from your current position.  You may find a magical surprise that you might have missed if you had not opened up your mind to possibility.

WHERE DO YOU CHOOSE TO PLACE YOUR FOCUS TODAY?  Again, I am NOT speaking about denial.  We need to be aware that problems exist.  On the other hand by choosing not to focus only on the problems, by making a conscious choice to see the other side of the clouds, the brilliance of a sunset, or the fluffy elephant cloud in the sky, we will be able to open our mind to creative solutions to our problems.  Or we may just remember to find the blessings in life that we often take for granted.  Either way, today, create your own reality.  Choose to move forward with a new perspective.