Recently, in the span of one week, we had record high temperatures in southern California, violent thunderstorms, and very fall-like weather, with rain and nearly 50 degree cooler temperatures than just a few days earlier.  In short, its been absolutely crazy, and some locals have been telling me this is “earthquake weather.”  I hope not.

Stormy Skies

What I do know is that I’ve spent a lot of time looking at the sky over the last few days.  I’ve admired a series of gorgeous sunsets, and–like you, I’m sure–I’ve looked at the sky every morning as a hopeful indicator of what my day will be like.  In fact, the more I think about it, we spend a lot of time looking at the sky.  For centuries sailors have looked to the sky before setting sail (“Red sky at night…”); as photographers, we often differentiate a “so-so” photograph from an epic one depending on what’s happening in the sky; most people let what’s in the sky help define their mood, to some extent at least.  So, the sky really does define our days, and our lives.

As much as it influences us, I also think we could learn from the sky.  It carries the weather, but is ultimately unaffected by it, dealing with tumultuous changes easily and unscathed, and in a world that sometimes seems to be filled with our own hurry, hurt, and negativity, perhaps we could all take a moment to look up at the sky, take a deep breath and create our own high pressure system, so to speak.

What do you think?

Cotton Candy Sky