Cloud Watching

In Kansas we call it the “big sky” effect – there’s not a shortage of sky anywhere here. After growing up and living in other states, I am painfully aware of this fact. We don’t have trees, mountains, hills or lakes, but we have tons of sky. On my return roadtrip from Missouri last week, I was reminded of this big sky and how much I have always enjoyed cloud watching.

I’m sure it started as a kid, where we would lay on our backs on the ground and find shapes in the clouds as they moved through. The kid at heart in me still likes to cloud watch as an adult alone or with my kids – its like a giant nature treasure hunt. Proper cloud watching doesn’t happen every day. The stage is set by God alone in that perfect fluidity of clouds and wind that come alive in my imagination.

On the roadtrip, it was one of those perfect fluid cloud watching skies as my car crossed over to big sky territory in Kansas. My kids would have loved it and in order to be a responsible driver, I couldn’t get swept away in the adventure wholeheartedly.

Life in chronic illness is a giant treasure hunt also. Some days are just days, survival days. Days that don’t seem worth much at all. But then a glimmer of hope peaks through and the stage is set for perfect “cloud watching”. Seize the moment by trying to find a treasure in the storm of your life. Cling to a good thought or memory. Write it down and record its grandure, no matter how insignificant. Share it with a friend, have a belly laugh over something that would normally make you hurl.

One of my girlfriends who is fighting chronic illness called last week after having a GREAT day. The following day, she was regretting all she did – saying she pushed too hard maybe and over did it because she was exhausted. Nope. Not in my opinion. When you are fighting chronic illness and your body give you an open window – a ray of hope kind of day. GRAB IT. You might feel crappy tomorrow anyway, so what is the difference. Your soul needs the lift, so take it.

The clouds can be different shapes to different people on different days – an alligator or a turtle and any minute it can change to an alligator eating the turtle or an alligator eating an ice cream cone. Don’t let a moment pass on this road without stopping to see your treasures along the way……