I know. I know. When one thinks about the action of looking up, they think it is very simple, too simple to even pay attention to. Many of us find ourselves fixated on ourselves and our work. Well, this is perfectly normal; it is healthy to escape sometimes. 

 During dinner with my friend over winter break, I contemplated the idea of looking for and finding beauty in everything. It started when she pulled out a Polaroid to take a picture of a street vendor in New York City. Nothing about him leaped out, he was just a regular person we see every day, but the photo turned out delightful: the bustling city in the background with the invigorating blues, yellows, and reds of the truck clashing with the warm tones of the buildings gave the photo a vintage, yet inviting look. While we don’t all own Polaroids, and food trucks are scarce in Sheffield, there are other ways to find beauty.

 Consider the lifting of one’s head towards the sky. In a city of towering skyscrapers, looking up is necessary to appreciate the buildings. In a thick forest, it is crucial to gaze at the vast canopy overhead, and on a clear night, we look up to see the stars, searching for the big dipper and other stellar-astronomic patterns. But what is the value of looking up on a frigid day in mid-February at Berkshire?

 In a world of schoolwork, screens, distractions, pressure, and competition, the simple act of looking up is a reminder to be present. Although there is seemingly nothing to see in the boundless sky, it is the appreciation of elegance, charm, and joy. The other day I found myself running late to Spanish class, contemplating a history exam that I had taken last week while also obsessing over an email to a teacher asking for a letter of recommendation. For me, this was the perfect moment to look up, to let the troubles go for just a second, to reconnect with my surroundings. I have tried to explain this concept to friends—some take it, some leave it. 

 We humans are simply creatures of habit. By consciously making an effort to gaze upward for a few seconds each day at the trees, the buildings, or the ceiling, we can begin to look beyond ourselves and deeper into our environment and the happenings around us. The more we practice, the more natural it will become to use this tool for cultivating clarity in our everyday lives.