Cloud 8 Is Great

 

I have been gazing into the sky for most of my life. 

 

Recently, I thought about the song Cloud 8 from Frazier Chorus. Turns out that cloud 8 is great. 

 

It has taken me some time to let my feet and my eyes look up to learn this. 

And yet, I may have known this truth longer than I realize even now. 

 

Part of this is what I learned as I let my feet take the dancing steps with this song.

Thinking about what clouds have meant from when I was a young child until now. 

 

Some may say that you need to get to cloud 9 for life to be perfect. 

To say that life has become the best of the best. 

 

I have found another way for life to become sweet even if not that picture. 

 

Clouds have meant that I can find calm, fun and more as I pause to look all around me. 

 

Have you taken time to stop doing yard work, pulled over while driving or while bringing in the groceries to check out these beautiful white fluffy things?  

Let me show you.

Let me show you what I have found. 

 

We can begin by taking this view. 

 

Do you see the bright sky coming up behind the white clouds here? 

The sun is coming up and the mountains and trees are outlined to give balance in the moment. 

 

It seems to me that I do not need perfection to see that cloud 8 is great for me. 

Here is one way that has come to me over that past decade. 

 

The song has lyrics that bring a rhythm to my feet and a smile to my face. 

 

Have you thought about striving and making massive goals to get to a place of perfection that others have presented to you? 

 

Perhaps what you have seen in another person’s life and then thought about how to obtain that for yourself. 

 

Massive goals may be what others choose to do as they reach for the sky. 

 

I will tell you that I thought about that for a few minutes when I was younger. 

 

Then I realized that our family was going to go in a different direction, and we continued on our way. 

The path before us diverged and that has been where we stayed.

 

One thought from the song has stayed with me. 

I can wait on cloud 8.

If I am not able to get to cloud 9 then I can wait at cloud 8.

 

As I sat with that thought, I have decided to think about it in this way instead. 

 

I was not waiting to get to another space as I paid attention to where we were then, and I am now.

 

As I began to look at the direction we were heading I also saw that it came with many days of unknown and illness. Possibilities and power alongside building resilience and joy. 

 

How can that come together in one story? 

That, my friends, are where the clouds come back to me. 

 

Pausing to look up from the yard work, groceries and even the appointments is when I began to know that joy can come in the small bright moments. 

 

At sunrise with dark outlines still mostly hidden from view. 

 

The light bouncing off even one space in my day taught me to look for more. 

At times, the bouncing came from the music and tapping foot within our home. 

 

Is this different from what others are reaching for in their lives?

I cannot say. 

 

Here is what I do know. 

 

Different is not a bad thing. Our life is incredible and grand. It always has been and will continue to be and become with whatever is next. 

 

Being aware of the calm and fun in our life on cloud 8 was great for our family before and is now. 

 

Other moments come when I am able to peek up from the many things that need to be done in my every day.

 

Are there places where you can find that cloud 8 is great for you? 

Look up and see what comes next. I am here to dance with you.