Look Up for Kindness

Day 125: Look Up for Kindness

“Wherever you are, be all there.” – Jim Elliot

A few days ago while taking this amazing yoga class, the teacher gave us an assignment for the week. It was quite simple: Look up. That is it. What she meant, and of course explained to the class, is that she wanted us to look up, look around and notice all the beauty and gifts that our world has to offer. She asked us to put our screens away, look up, and take in all of life. Take in the people, the weather, our surroundings, the sounds we hear, and the many things we see. She asked us to be open to receiving the world.

It is amazing what is out there if we just look up and engage. I have been practicing this sort of engagement since I started this blog, but it was a nice reminder to look up. I usually play the smile game to see how many people I can get to smile back at me, but today, I tried to simply look up without trying to change or affect anyone else. In others words I observed and took in my surroundings and I noticed some pretty cool buildings with interesting architecture, some beautiful flowers blooming, and how incredible the sky looked this afternoon. I also made myself look up on the commuter train this morning rather than read or listen to music with my head down. I found myself intrigued by the many different types of people and wondered whether they were happy, rushed, sad, tired, excited, or any of the other possibilities. I also noticed how 90 percent of the train riders were looking down. I wonder what it would be like if 90 percent looked up.

Look up, make eye contact, and be open to receive people and the world at large. You never know what good might come to you.

With Kindness,

Jennifer Palazzo

Photo Courtesy of FreeImages.com and The Very Kind Babak Azad