Celebrate Look Up at the Sky Day With Me

For all the girls that whip out their phones the second the sky turns any color other than blue, this article is for you.

April 14th is National Look Up At The Sky Day and this year we’re celebrating by taking a look at some of the prettiest shots I’ve taken of the sky. Because, like a whole lot of other people, I’m one of the many that can’t seem to resist the urge to show Snapchat what the sky looks like in Piscataway (and anywhere else a car can bring me) every few days. 

Most of my favorite pictures of the sky are from 2016 – 2018. It just happened to be a time when sunsets and sunrises were continuously picturesque day after day. That was also when my love for nature was at its peak, so it was something I genuinely looked forward to seeing. There was basically no way a pretty sky could get past me and my camera.

 

Looking back at it now, I really wish I still caught sunrises and sunsets as nice as the ones from a few years ago. At the same time, though, I think I recently realized that maybe it’s not the lack of colors or the lack of dimension to the clouds, streaks and stars above me, but just that I haven’t really taken the time to appreciate how beautiful everything is lately.

It actually checks out. If I noticed the sky and its beauty the most frequently up until 2018, that means it was around 2019 that my priorities started to shift. That makes sense considering I graduated from high school that year and entered college when more of my thoughts started to be directed towards building friendships, maintaining relationships, adjusting to campus life, getting my foot into the world of journalism and even downloading Tik Tok for the first time.

So in all the chaos of new beginnings and new pressures, did I get too caught up to be able to slow down? I know it might not seem like a big deal. After all, there will always be the sky. You can rely on its constant presence and talent in surprising you with the most scenic views at any given moment, but I also associate the sky with a lot of things that I used to be able to do often. From looking at the sky and instantly thinking of God’s goodness, reveling in how blessed my life is and how blessed I am to be surrounded with beautiful creation, seeing the good in everything, to not allowing myself to get too tangled up with things that really shouldn’t matter that much to me. These are the things that the sky serves as a reminder of to me.

The sky signifies these aspects for me, but they can mean something completely different to you. Many look up and are reminded of fresh starts, new opportunities, the greatness of the universe or your religion, the fact that you’re alive and present right where you are, or maybe it’s even just being able to bathe in the sun while you admire the scenery at the same time.

Whatever it may be, this is your gentle reminder that, yes, a lot of us do love to see the sky from your point of view on social media, but after the picture has been snapped, don’t forget to appreciate where you are and the season you’re in. It’s all too easy to get swept up in all that needs to be done and all you have going on, so try not to forget that nature and looking up at the sky can be somewhat of a breather throughout the day, calling you to be mindful or reflect on whatever it may signify to you; Happy Look Up At The Sky Day!

• celebration
• holiday
• nature
• sky