National Look Up at the Sky Day

Most people are extremely busy these days. The world goes at a breakneck speed and sometimes it is difficult to keep up. So much so that many people hardly have the time to just spend enjoying the simple things in life anymore!

Not only that, but a consumer-driven culture has had a tendency to lead many people to believe that money is one of the most important things.

This attitude might manifest itself in a myriad of ways. For instance, some people might feel they aren’t valuable if they don’t make a lot of money or have the ability to display wealth to their neighbors, family, and friends. It’s easy to forget that life is about more than money.

In order to validate the need for recognition and admiration, some people even travel halfway across the world to vacation in exotic destinations, only to then spend the entire trip taking selfies and posting them on social media to impress friends! And, sadly, this can keep a tourist from actually making incredible memories on their journey by simply enjoying themselves.

When asked what he finds to be the most surprising thing about the world in general, the Dalai Lama replied: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

The Dalai Lama wasn’t far off in his assessment of many cultures, societies and people today!

But, with National Look Up at the Sky Day, the time has come to pay attention to something other than the rat race going on around the world. It’s time to take a look at life and make sure it is actually being lived to the fullest!

History of Look Up at the Sky day

The creators of this holiday may remain anonymous, but their goal is very clear: to encourage people to take a little time to slow down and appreciate the smaller, more precious things in life.

The list of famous people who have been known to spend a lot of their time looking at the sky includes Nicholas Copernicus, the scientist who eventually came to prove that the earth revolved around the Sun (and not the other way around as previously thought).

Albert Einstein, the creator of the Theory of Relativity, was also well-known for looking up at the sky. And Leonardo da Vinci, who envisioned the first flying machines, spent a great deal of time staring into the sky and imagining this invention that eventually came true years later.

So, rest assured, people who choose to celebrate this day will be in the best company!

How to Celebrate National Look Up at the Sky Day

While spending the entire day simply looking up might eventually become a strain on the neck, it’s the idea of enjoying something that is right in front of our faces that counts. Consider these ways to appreciate life and celebrate National Look Up at the Sky Day:

Look Up!

As the name of this little day suggests, the first order of business is to take some time to look up at the sky! People often slip into the habit of taking natural beauty for granted. In fact, many people only pay attention to the sky if, say, it happens to be raining and they are annoyed by it.

So, if the weather cooperates, go ahead and take a blanket out to the park, just lay down on it and gaze upwards for a while—you’re likely to be amazed at how it changes depending on wind and other factors.

Get Involved in Star Gazing

Looking up at the sky can happen during the day or at night. People who have a telescope can really get involved in looking up at the sky and identifying stars and planets. But even people who don’t have a telescope can enjoy gazing at the stars, making out the constellations–and those waiting long enough might even get to see a shooting star!

Listen to a Sky-Themed Playlist

While spending some time leisurely staring at the sky, it might be great to have a little silence and listen to the birds chirping or the grass growing. But some people live in busy, loud places and would prefer a soundtrack to go along with their Sky-Staring Day.

Of course, plenty of nature sound playlists exist and would be perfect for this day, but others might want a list of sky-themed songs to choose from. Classics or modern, there’s something for everyone who wants try these out–or come up with other creative ideas for songs:

• Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (1967) by The Beatles
• Ribbon in the Sky (1982) by Stevie Wonder
• A Sky Full of Stars (2014) by Coldplay
• We’ve Got Blue Skies (1971) by The Jackson 5
• It Came Out of the Sky (1969) by Creedence Clearwater Revival
• To the Sky (2010) by Owl City
• Spirit in the Sky (1969) by Norman Greenbaum
• Touch the Sky (2005) by Kanye West

Get in Touch with Nature

Watching birds go about their lives as if nothing of importance was going on elsewhere might be a relaxing way to spend time on this day. And watching planes soaring high above may even provide the needed motivation to take a trip to some faraway land.

Gazing at the clouds can be a fun activity, depending on the weather. Sometimes, on a day when the sky is perfectly blue and the clouds are fluffy and moving rather quickly, it can be fun to follow the clouds to see what different shapes they morph into. It takes patience, but that’s okay because looking at the sky is the only important thing there is to do on this day! National Look Up at the Sky Day was created to motivate people to see the world from a different perspective than we usually do, and appreciate the beauty of nature. So, with that in mind, be sure to get out and celebrate this day and make your life just a little bit more meaningful!