Looking Straight Up

/ roughwighting

globe, world, bloggingIn celebration of my 190th post today, I’m re-blogging my first one. I began with 0 followers, but I had the germ of an idea of imparting my little flashes of “life” and insights to anyone who might stop by. A little more than 3 1/2 years later,  through my writing I have shared experiences and perceptions with thousands of you thoughout our world, including the U.S., England, and Ireland; South Korea and South Africa ; Chile and Indonesia;  Spain and India, and dozens of countries in between. THANK you for joining me on this mutual voyage of discovery.

I was walking on a newly discovered path when a white piece of paper fluttered down toward my face, Tennesse Valley, Marin Countyseemingly out of nowhere.  Strange, I mused, continuing to stride quickly and purposefully.  I had hit the timer on my athletic watch, and was determined to walk briskly and beautifully to the end of the path and back until the timer dinged after sixty minutes.

My attention was diverted, however, three minutes later by another piece of white paper flying from the sky toward my face.  It floated slowly, almost meanderingly, as if waiting for me to reach my arm out to catch it.

Instead, I ignored the potential break from my concentrated walking pace. The paper fell between my feet as I hit the graveled pavement with a strong stride.

Damn, I sighed when, less than a minute later, another piece of paper fluttered between my furrowed brow. I grabbed the irritating piece and crumbled it in my palm. But my pace faltered as I dared myself to look at the offending paper.  How could I not?

I took a deep breath, stopped my legs, and immediately felt the blood beating furiously up my thighs toward my heart and back down to my feet. I experienced some light-headedness, so I began to walk again, slowly, toward a park bench
not far away.  I sat down and took a deep, rejuvenating breath; stretched my legs out in front of me; and opened the piece of wrinkled, unlined paper.

“LOOK

            UP,” it said.

I stared straight ahead and wondered if I dared. Some high school prank, no doubt.

But I couldn’t not look up.

clouds, skyMy head tilted back and my eyes widened as my mouth opened to a large O.

Three clouds were joining to shape themselves into two separate letters, fat and plump.

H  I

I closed my mouth and looked straight ahead. Then I tilted my head again, hoping I’d been momentarily delusional.

H  I,

it said still.

I stood up, turned off my timer, and walked slowly toward nowhere. Perhaps I had been looking straight ahead too often, in this life of mine.

I whispered, Hi back, with a smile on my face as my footsteps reminded me that it’s our journey, not the destination, that counts.

clouds, Kauai

 

 

 

 

 

As another piece of paper twirled in front of me, I began to comprehend that we also need to challenge our perspective – every day.

clouds, airplane, sky

 

 

 

 

 

  (Globe thanks to Google images, Photos by Pamela Wight)

 

 

66 thoughts on “Looking Straight Up”

  1. Wow, Pam, you are so talented. Really enjoyed reading this blog, too!!! Keep writing more as I so enjoy reading your work. Take care!!!

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  4. Did you ever discover the source of the pieces of paper Pamela? It would have to be someone who shared the same interpretation of those clouds and possible you could have become good friends.
    xxx Huge Hugs xxx

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    • My belief is that my muse was up there, just teasing me enough to open my eyes and push me along a bit. Now I’m looking up more, and around, and through the eyes of the universe. How’s THAT for mystical? 🙂 As always xoxox HUGEHUGSTOYOU xoxoxox

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  6. Is 190th a thing then? Seriously though, beautiful post. Obviously I wasn’t following you back then, so I never saw this one, glad you reblogged it. I can’t help noticing in your list of countries that you mentioned Ireland, but not England, I know you said and “dozens of countries in between” but who wants to just be an in-between huh? 😉

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    • YOU ARE SO RIGHT! In the beginning of Roughwighting, I think I had more English followers than American. I have changed my opening paragraph – check it out! I happen to know that I have mega-English genes inside me (not only is my last name Wight, but I love flowered wallpaper, and I drink gallons of English breakfast tea).

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  7. Congrats on 3 1/2 yrs of successful blogging and your 190th post! You are a super talented writer and this first blog was/is wonderful!

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    • You are one of my deepest, greatest supporters, and that means more than you’ll ever know. My guy asked me why I chose to celebrate the ‘190th’ post. Because it’s a bit odd to do it that way, who wants to be even, right? I know you’ll understand this. xoxo

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    • Huh, you’re right, I hadn’t even noticed that! There’s something about the openness of the sky and the clouds (which make a beautiful mark against the openness) that fills me up with hope and an ability to feel less constrained and more able to believe in ‘more’ to us than meets the eye. xo

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    • Your blog is fascinating for its history – I love Bath, Maine and see it differently now thanks to your latest post. Keep on plugging away! (and look up, who knows what inspiration may hit!) 🙂

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  11. It is obvious that your wisdom has been a mainstay in your writing Pamela, thank you for sharing. I can tell you, from very personal experience, that I can be quite stubborn in my ways at times – blinders on and focused on the finish line, too much on the finish line. Yep, those two words – challenge and perspective – they occupy a necessary part of our every day, Here’s to more looking up, down, and side to side – and congrats on your milestone post 🙂

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  12. Man, even your first post is amazing. I’m jealous. I prefer to ignore the first few months of my own bloggy adventure.

    This reminded me of the electric sign in the wonderful Steve Martin movie LA Story. Have you seen it?

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    • Ohhh, I just looked up ‘electric sign in L.A.Story,’ which helped me remember that movie (which I really liked) and the sign (which was very cool). Thanks for reminding me. Yes, my friend, I think there are signs out there for us to help us with our blogging (after all, what ELSE would I have written about for my first blog?) and our writing, and our life.

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    • Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii. You’re back in my new neck-of-the-woods. If you have chance to come up from the Cape, let me know. We’ll get the group together and WRITE! Good luck with your dad. xo

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  14. A wonderful example of why we need to slow down every now and then and just enjoy the moment. It should be such a simple thing, and yet for many of us it rarely happens. Thank you for the reminder to enjoy the ‘now.’ 🙂

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    • Thank YOU for taking the time to read my little parable. When I write these posts, I know I’m reminding myself as much as others to… (inhale, exhale) breathe and enjoy the moment.
      Hope you’re enjoying the moments in your weekend!

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  15. Congratulation on your 190th blog. Your are such a talented writer and I’m always get some wisdom and encouragement from reading your blog. Thank you and I’m so glad I found you in cyperspace.

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  16. I love the clouds and messages, this was a wonderful first post. So glad you shared it (again) since I just ramble around, sometimes visiting and sometimes sidetracked. I hope you will continue to Look Up! Smiles, Robin

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  17. Oh, lovely. A message from the clouds or from infinity. I like your message. Very nice. We all need to slow down and look at what is going on. So many folks are only attuned to themselves and have no idea what they are missing. Keep your thoughts and stories coming. They are a welcome addition to things that I enjoy.

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    • Well, your comment just made my day. And that’s why our comment boxes are so important, aren’t they? Glad yours is working again. Keep those comments coming! I’m off, looking up in search for more universal messages. 🙂

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  18. I hear you loud and clear. Even if we are the two busiest people I know, I believe we take the time to enjoy the messages in the clouds.

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  20. Aren’t we all so lucky that you began blogging and sharing your life with us! So happy to read you and feel so much of life experience through your brilliantly selected words.

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  24. I am so glad you choose to challenge your perspective every day, Pam. Your blog NEVER fails to bring a smile, a feeling of joy at your unique expression. Just think how many times the sky speaks to a person and the person refuses to acknowledge that the sky can speak! I am bemused just contemplating that. Congratulations on your 190th post. Whoopee! Love, one of the thousands of admirers.

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    • We are mutual admirers, my switcheroo buddy. Here in NE we got more snow last night. The sky is cloudy this morning at 6:30. But I’m lookin’ up there, waiting for it to speak to me. Something about the beauty of velvety grayness and deep clouds full of expectations. Huh, listen to that!

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    • Same to you! You have a sense of humor even when you’re recovering from the flu! You’re photo of your dachshund and Snoopy Dog is hysterical. 🙂 Love your blog links too.

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    • I’m looking out the window as I type. The little bit of blue sky peeking through the gray clouds is spelling something …. WAIT… I SEE IT. It says S O O N S P R I N G !!!!!

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    • I find I need to remind myself daily! Another snow storm is threatening, my fingers are almost too cold to type, but by goodness, I’m going to look up in that gray dreary sky and find HOPE. 🙂

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  30. Congratulation on the growth of your seedling. I remember starting my business in 1993 and wondering if it would ever get off the ground. It took time and a lot of phone calls and proposals and homemade flyers, but darn it if it didn’t turn out grand. So in the beginning I was after dollars and took on everything I thought I could do and worked for anyone. Then, I had the thought that since it was my own business I could work on projects I really knew how to do and work for clients that I liked. My business taught me that I’d be better off enjoying the journey and not worry about the destination ($$$$). Love this piece of writing. The source of inspiration is not as important as the change in attitude.

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    • So much wisdom in these words, Chuck. Truly, the act of writing and publishing is the same as you with your business. We really must write for the love of it, because god knows few make money from their words. But really, how much better is a life in which we’re immersed with something we love, versus something that gives us monetary wealth?

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  31. Pingback: Bodacious Loquacious Original & Gratifying | roughwighting

  32. What a fabulous first, and 190th, post Pam. You were getting us to think about our lives, our attention, and our perspective, even then. What a pleasure it is to read. 🙂

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