What The World Needs
I remember how LONG it took for my friend’s daughter to walk from the house to the car when she was a toddler. Starting at around 2 years old and lasting till she was about 5, she literally stopped and smelled every flower along the way. It drove my friend nuts! She was usually in a hurry and, because of her daughter’s penchant for the flowers, was always running late and constantly admonishing her to hurry up.
It was a source of real frustration and guilt. After all, badgering your kid to STOP smelling the flowers seems wrong! We all know that kids are on their own time table. Fully in the moment, they are unaware of traffic, appointments and deadlines. As adults we have to pay attention to these details that escape a child but we often overlook the real pleasures of life in our rush to get it all done.
It’s all in the balance and, eventually, my friend found hers. She started leaving a little earlier so they’d have time to stop and smell a few roses. Lo and behold, she realized she enjoyed it as much as her daughter did!
You don’t have to have a toddler in your life to slow down, stop even, and smell the roses. You just have to SEE them and take the extra minute to truly enjoy them. Build some “Smell the Roses” time into your day and you’ll find the day is a whole lot more pleasant!
