Seeing Stars

Ever experience one of those days when the world seems a little too close?  In a cramping your style sort of way?  I'm pretty sure they're not a rarity in this world that grows exponentially busier with each passing day. 

Today was a beautiful spring-like day that reminded me I should be missing the sunshine during these winter doldrums.  The experience is no different than being reminded of the never-ending assortment of totally unhealthy food out there smack-dab in the middle of your newest diet.  In any case, due to the impeccably clear conditions of the day, which lasted a good portion of the day (at least up until the moment I stepped out of the doors of work), I was able to spot some stars burning in the night sky.  As I gazed up, I inhaled a deep breath of warmer-than-usual air and was grateful for the moment of space and gentle reminder that we're so stinking small.  This helped me conclude that the worries of the day are even smaller, making them insignificant in the final analysis.  It also made me think of  Don McLean's song, "Vincent," which was an unknown song to me for way too many years of my life.  And then there's Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" painting.  So many great treats these fundamental elements of our world afford us.   

If worries are measured in importance against the stars that burn beautifully for us in the night sky, the worries quickly melt to nothingness.  I chuck this up to be a great little note to self:  Self, it all gets better if you just look at the stars.