In my childhood, I spent many hours looking at the sky, studying clouds. I still love looking at the sky, but these days usually have a camera handy.
The sky is often the most interesting and dramatic before, or after a storm. This one was taken just after an October storm. The sky took on an amazing hue; there was a rainbow over to my left. And the clouds kind of blew my mind. I looked up the variety, and they seem to be stratocumulus–low, lumpy layers of clouds. They look more like sheep’s wool than any other clouds I have seen.
The sky is the limit. If we’re not hurrying at any given minute, then we tend to be preoccupied with whatever thoughts are passing through our minds. Rarely are we moving around during our days, practicing mindfulness.
Surely one of the most profound joys of taking photos is that it anchors us in the moment and switches our senses back on. (Of course, it’s a common experience to get so caught up in taking your photo that you’re not really experiencing the moment as a participant. Photographers walk a fine line.)
Think of the difference between the verbs “look” and “watch.” Both mean to observe something closely. “Watch,” however, implies an additional layer of attention–that of observing something over time. You can look at something for an instant and look away again; if you’re watching, you stay there for a while, seeing what moves or changes or develops.
In my own life, I’ve noticed that one of my few times of watching the sky is while I’m driving, when it’s easy to see how clouds are drifting and changing shape. Most of the time I see a cloud as a static object rather than as something that’s constantly in motion.
I’m trying to devote a little time here and there to watching the sky. Taking pictures of it reminds me that I have a reason to be doing this, and that it’s something I do find worthwhile. When you’re outside watching things, you’re making good use of your time. It may not be dramatic or important, but it’s meaningful.
(For the month of October 2017, I’m participating in the 31 Days bloggers’ challenge. You can find out about it here, and check out the interesting work other bloggers are posting.)
