Stop and Smell the Roses

Slow down, breath deep, take it all in. I am often reminding myself that life is short and I need to stop making such a big deal out of small things. No need to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Isn't it odd when you hear yourself saying phrases that your parents would say to you when you were little? Saying one simple phrase all of a sudden makes you feel instantly old.

What the heck happened?

You never think when you're child that you will one day grow-up. Sure, we talked often about how big we were getting, how tall we had grown, and what we wanted to be when we grew up. But, we didn't actually know what "growing-up" meant. We didn't understand how time passing could make us feel.

I get sad when I stop and think about the time that has passed. Not always, but sometimes. Living in this thing called "time" really causes a person to cherish the moments they have. I know that one day I will live in a place without time, so great a concept that my brain cannot comprehend. But, for now I will live for today, experience the present, and be thankful for every single moment I am given.

I don't say this to make you sad, but rather to spark something in you to make today count. To remind you to live for this day. Whatever that means to you. What does stopping and smelling the roses look like for you today?

During a photo shoot last week, a moment was captured that portrays this perfectly. I posted this image and when her mother asked her what she was doing in the picture, she said, "just smellin."

We need to make sure we are taking the time to "stop and smell the roses."