Legendary French novelist Marcel Proust spent much of his life exploring memory and time. In “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of his seven‑part masterpiece “In Search of Lost Time,” he captures a profound idea with this simple line: the importance of keeping ourselves open. Life can settle into burdensome routines, and it can be easy to forget the wonder, possibility, and perspective that the world outside offers us. His “patch of sky” can be literal — it’s always a good idea to treat yourself to a breath of fresh air — or metaphorical, reminding us to indulge the hopes and dreams that nurture our spirits.