Robbery at 7-Eleven

When I first moved to this city, I was overjoyed. I'm not exaggerating with that word; I literally skipped around the city, exploring the historic buildings, popping in every shop, and most of all--looking up. When you grow up in Florida, tall buildings are pretty rare (the base of ground is often sand and weak sediment so when it gets we the buildings sink and are you bored? you're bored well then GATOR ATTACK!) When I moved here, I looked up all the time. My NYC friends always say that's how to spot a tourist--their gaping upwards towards the top of the buildings.

After a while though, you stop looking up. In fact, you're usually looking down, as if counting the cracks in the sidewalk will get you to your destination faster. You are texting on your phone and arranging your playlist and ignoring everyone around you.

So, for the past two days, I've tried to look up. I walk for 30-90 minutes a day. I tried to turn off my thoughts, and pay attention to everything around me. I listened to the car engines in the street, I felt the rain drops on my cheek, I smelled the wet sidewalk, and I studied the concrete on the rooftops.

Mostly, what I first started to notice was real estate. I mean, who gets a roof deck, a yard, AND a parking spot in this city?! Ridiculous. But besides that, I start to appreciate things. I appreciate the cold weather that I used to adore as a kid. I appreciate the puddles on the sidewalk. I actually played the glad game while being mindful. "I'm glad that dog has spots, I'm glad that plant is so green, I'm glad my sweater feels cozy" and on and on. It's a lot harder than it seems. Trying walking for 30 minutes without thinking about what happened last night or what you have to do a work today or what vacation you want to take next. Thinking about nothing takes SERIOUS effort. Still, I will say that it really does help me experience what is happening now, and let go of what happened or will happen. That heaviness that usually falls over me stays away as long as I focus on my surroundings.

I mean, how else would I have noticed the man run out of 7-eleven with a back-pack of stuff and all of the employees run after him? That would have been something growing up that I would have saved and shared with everyone I knew at school the next day. Now, it's so commonplace, I barely watched to see if they caught him (They did. Who tries to rob a store in a red jumpsuit anyway). We get so used to things, and we take so much for granted. We gotta look at each moment as something new, before it passes and we look back wishing we'd appreciated it more.

Clean it up :/
Let it go :)
Eat right :(
Act Energetic :/
Slow Down :(
Use your senses :)
Stop Bad thoughts/Actions :)

"When I look down, I miss all the good stuff when I look up, I just trip over things"~Ani DiFranco

Photo by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Don't_Look_Up_Here.jpg