How often do you look up? I didn't often enough. I used to keep my eyes on the ground. Left, right. Feet. The path ahead. Then one day, I decided to change things. I looked up. And I started to notice things - at first just small things.

There were fresh pink buds on a tree. Their newness was refreshing, the first signs of spring. A wisp of a feeling. As I continued this practice with more intention, deeper thoughts emerged.

A blue string tied around a tangle of branches. The color caught my eye at first. How did this get here? Why had no one taken it down? I too left it alone and felt somewhat guilty later. I hope someone took more care than I did. This awareness of my indifference towards my neighborhood led to some more significant revelations.

At times more significant feelings emerge. The subway ceiling was open. It had been closed before. All that space—now visible. I'd passed through this space for years and now it was suddenly larger, fuller. Sometimes we accept things as they are without imagining a capacity for change. Things that feel unmovable and solid. We’ve created these things. We can also change them.

And with this expanding awareness, I began to notice beauty in the details—a lamp was lighting up buds for me. The fuzz not unlike a peach. How lucky are we to see this? The start of new life. Soon these buds will be leaves and later the trees full. The winter is over and there’s hope of spring. A calming thought to go into my evening.

These moments of upward attention have taught me something essential: the world above exists. Strong and clear. I see more now. In this compressed city, looking up opens space. A new perspective. Taking this small action has enriched my perspective, and provided moments large and small. I feel more present in my environment. More aware.

What do you see when you look up? How has it changed your perspective?