While flying from La Crosse to Chicago en route to Oklahoma City I was getting a lot of things done for work.  It felt great to have peace and quiet, time to focus on nothing but getting better, self improvement, or sharpening the saw depending on how you prefer to see it.  Time to reflect on my leadership style, successes and failures.  Time to focus on how to get better, to prepare myself for leadership training over the next few days.

As the flight got closer to Chicago I paused in thought and looked out the window.  We were flying through the clouds as we turned around over Lake Michigan.  For a moment I completely lost my train of thought and stared at the clouds in wonderment of being above and in them (I know, I’m still totally a kid at heart!).  

All at once we broke free of the clouds and the sun shined bright on my face.  I instinctively closed my eyes, tilted my face towards the sun, and basked in the warmth.  I was transported to hiking on the Athabasca Glacier, looking up to the sky and feeling its warmth on my face.  Simultaneously, I was laying on my rock in the boulder field at Long’s Peak, my face turned towards the sun.  I was in Hawaii on the lava fields pausing from our hike to enjoy the feeling of the wind blowing off the ocean with the smell of melted rock in the air while I looked up to get the sun’s rays on my face.  I was in all these places in a heartbeat and was feeling the same sunlight warming my face and I smiled.

How awesome is it that one little thing that we have the opportunity to do almost every single day of our lives can bring such simple and pure joy?  So many days I put my head down and focus on the tasks that I feel need to be completed and forget to look up.  Today I’m glad I looked up and appreciated the simple warmth and joy of raising my face to the sunlight.

Thanks!!!