Some high school knuckleheads in my past could command an entire cafeteria or study hall without word or force; they simply looked up. As their circle of influence expanded, sounds subsided, until their guffaws took over, that is.
(Must admit I tried this tactic a time or two in my own classroom. Knucklehead paybacks. Fun stuff).
Our Creator designed some awesome attention-getters, as if to say, “Ok, humans. Take a chill pill.” They work, pulling our gazes heavenwards.
*Rainbows – singles, doubles or partials. Doesn’t matter, we notice. Recently my sis sent me a photo text of one at the very moment I was snapping my own, a precious shared moment miles apart.
*Eagles – soaring or perched. Their majesty draws our attention to the skies or to the treetops.
*Birds – the V-train of migration or the flowing black wave on the horizon. We are reminded of seasons and cycles, perhaps comforted thinking ‘this too shall pass’ as we linger to contemplate the intriguing sight of birds in flight.
*Clouds – puffy whites or menacing darks. We start young seeing familiar shapes, watching them move and morph. If we’re lucky we have little ones in our lives later luring our grown-up eyes and minds to the skies.
*Sunrises and sunsets – colorful, cinematic. These silent movies perhaps trigger music in our minds to accompany the awesome displays.
*Stars – stationary, solitary, falling or in formation. The darker the sky, the brighter the light.
*Sun and Moon – marching across the horizon, illuminating all with astounding precision. Their choreographed dance draws a collective world-wide chorus of oohs and aahs when they seem to collide. I hope they are well-rehearsed.
Millions gazed upward on Monday, August 21, for a premier viewing of a solar eclipse. Encore in April of 2024.
