Look Up. Life is Happening.
Mar 06, 2026
Look Up. Life Is Happening.
Recently, Terri and I spent time visiting our daughter in Oahu.
Something strange caught our attention almost immediately.
When we went out for coffee, people weren’t staring down at their phones.
They were reading books, playing games, and actually talking with each other.
At the farmers market, people weren’t scrolling while waiting in line.
They were sharing samples, trading produce, and asking vendors about what they were buying.
At restaurants, families were enjoying conversation instead of checking notifications.
At the beach, people weren’t scrolling.
They were strolling.
Looking for shells.
Playing games.
Watching surfers.
Even spotting whales in the distance.
And this wasn’t just because the weather was beautiful.
We noticed the same thing on rainy days when people were indoors.
Which made me start wondering…
Was it the environment?
Or was it something deeper?
Because the reality for most of us looks very different.
One study shows that 85% of Americans check their phone within the first 15 minutes of waking up.
Before we’ve had a chance to breathe.
Before we’ve thought about our priorities.
Before we’ve decided what kind of day we want to create.
We’re already consuming someone else’s messages, news, opinions, and demands.
Instead of deliberating our day on our own terms, we allow our mindset to be shaped by whatever happens to show up on our screen first.
No wonder it can sometimes feel like we’re reacting to the day instead of leading it.
But there was one moment in Oahu that captured the opposite perfectly.
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One afternoon we visited the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe, a serene temple tucked into the Valley of the Temples on Oahu.
It’s a replica of the historic temple in Uji, Japan, surrounded by Japanese gardens, koi ponds, and waterfalls.
The moment you arrive, something shifts.
People speak softer.
They walk slower.
And you start noticing things you might normally miss.
Visitors can buy small bags of food to feed the birds.
When you hold the food in your hand, the birds will actually land on your palm to eat. As pieces fall, the koi fish gather below, gently circling to pick up what the birds miss.
Birds landing softly on your hand.
Koi fish gliding through the water.
Waterfalls flowing in the background.
And then, in the distance, the temple’s large brass gong sounds.
A deep, resonating tone that echoes across the valley.
For a few minutes, everything slows down.
The only time we pulled out our phones was to capture a quick photo or video like the one in this newsletter.
Not to scroll.
Not to check messages.
Just to remember the moment.
And it made me realize something.
Maybe the difference we noticed all week in Oahu wasn’t just the scenery or the weather.
Maybe people there simply understand something we often forget.
Look up. Life is happening.
Because the most meaningful moments rarely come through a screen.
They happen when we’re fully present.
Looking someone in the eye.
Listening closely.
Noticing something small that others might miss.
And if you think about it, that’s also how great service, great leadership, and great relationships are created.
By paying attention.
Most people don’t.
But you can.
So here’s a simple challenge for this week.
Put the phone down a little more often.
Look up.
Notice something you would have otherwise missed.
Start a conversation.
Because the world gets a lot more interesting when our attention is up.
And chances are, the people around you will feel it too.
Look up. Life is happening.
Most people don’t.
But you can.
