Looking Up: A Spiritual Shift

A poem about reframing my perspective on the world

Image created by the author on Jasper Art.

I woke up recently with a sore neck and back
and wondered if it was the result of mid-age,
After all, my body needs a bit more love than it used to :)

It wasn’t until after walking
30 minutes barefoot at sunset,
 — a now daily trademark of my being —

that I realized I had unconsciously,
been looking down the ENTIRE time,
anticipating stones and sticks…
instead of the abundance of fresh
grass
that steadily soothed my soles.

Upon further evaluation,
I recognized that I also had been walking
hunched over,
creating undeniable tension in my lower back.

With this awareness in mind,
I made a simple adjustment:
I stood upright and tilted my head,
so I was looking up instead of down.

That one simple shift,
looking up…
changed EVERYTHING,