For centuries, our ancestors have been looking up at the sky for inspiration and advice. The full moon lit the path of nomadic peoples, the shooting stars were witnessed and recorded by ancient astronomers, and small farmers watched and waited eagerly for the return of rainclouds for their crops. Many people thought the sky looked so amazing, they assumed the gods must reside there. Several ancient sites, such as Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids, were constructed with the heavens in mind. As it was such an important part of historic human thought, the sky should continue to inspire us today.
Now, I would like to make a case for the importance of clouds. From an artist's standpoint, my favorite clouds are those with dimension: the popcorn clouds. It's so amazing to me that they're pure white with only such small, slight shadows to define them. This perspective is made even better when you realize clouds are really just water vapor. Think about that for a minute. All those amazing sunsets made even more colorful and breathtaking by the cloud shapes were made possible by water vapor.
Looking up at the sky every day is a great way to de-stress. When you gaze up at the bottomless blue in the day or the infinite galaxy at night, you are reminded of your place in the universe. With such a large world, how can you stress about anything at all? How can your problems compare with the incomprehensible endlessness of the heavens? We must look so small from the perspective of the Milky Way. We're just tiny, insignificant animals arguing about politics and money, and yet, in all the eternity of the universe, you are the only you.
Not to mention, the sky never looks the same twice, The sun may stay constant, but the clouds are always different shapes and sizes, and the colors of the sunset are never quite the same shade as the day before.
The sky is probably the most under-appreciated work of art in our lives. Every single day we go about our lives underneath the ever-changing sky, and yet so often it escapes our notice. Think of all the amazing things you've seen in the sky before. A rainbow? The full moon? A shooting star? Do you remember how those things made you feel? For one shining moment, you could forget about all your problems and think only of possibilities, adventure, and the future. The next time you look at the sky- at that exact moment, from your exact angle, through your eyes- remember no one else will ever see that. It is a truly unique and personal moment you share with the clouds, the stars, and the moon.
