Don't Forget to Look Up

A while ago my friends from home went on a camping trip. They walked through the trails of southern Illinois and enjoyed each other's company on a Saturday before midterms started. When they called to tell me about it they told me how 2 of our friends forgot to look up while on the hike, so they went back on a mini trail for them to get a real good look before heading back to campus.

I’m often found with my head buried in my phone. Overwhelmed with my to-do lists and influx of social media, I'm in a constant loop of scrolling. A very draining and exhausting loop. A bad habit that I carried with me from home. This loop is something I’ve been trying to break in the last month that I’ve been in Madrid. 

In a city like Madrid you are always bound to experience something new. A new cafe around the corner, a secret park you stumble across on a long walk or even the hanging plans on the sides of buildings. When your head is always down you miss more than you’ll ever know. 

I was missing a lot. 

Tired of the way I was feeling I decided to make some rules for myself while running around the city. I’ve started leaving my phone in my fanny pack while on walks or the train. Only taking it out to search for a song or snap a picture of what's around me. I make it a point to take my headphones off and listen to the world around me while walking out of the metro station. You’d be surprised how many times I’ve followed music to a street show. Finally, I started looking up. Physically walking with my head to the sky. Admiring the buildings and colors and plants all around me. The world looks different when you can see the big picture.  

I encourage everyone to take a step back and look up while out and about. You never know what you might come across. Thank you Maria and Katerina for reminding me to look up. Miss you guys <3