1-Year-Old Teaches Me To Stop And Smell The Roses

Life's greatest lessons are usually taught by your parents and grandparents. They are also learned unconsciously growing up from your own personal experiences. It can happen on any average, ordinary day. Even if much of what we learn occurs early in life, we never really stop learning even as we grow older. I found that to be true the other day when my 1-year-old niece taught me, or should I say reminded me, of one of life's greatest lessons. The lesson is simple, beautiful and very true...stop and smell the roses.

Everyone has heard of the phrase "stop and smell the roses", but if for some odd reason you haven't, let me explain. It means you shouldn't rush thru life and not take a moment to actually stop, look around and enjoy the simple things that the world has to offer. Take a moment to pause, reflect and be grateful for the beauty that surrounds you. Working your ass off setting goal after goal and creating numerous to-do lists is not always the most important and pressing thing you should be focusing on. Sometimes you need to just stop and smell the roses for a change. If you don't, you may wakeup one day an old man or woman, regretting all the time that flew by while you rushed around so much instead of actually enjoying your youth. Time is precious and as you get older I think you tend to realize that more. Right now I know that is true, but I don't feel I can really understand it like someone say my Grandmother's age can. What is funny is that my Grandmother could preach that saying to me and I could nod and agree, but it doesn't sink in until I see someone so much YOUNGER than myself actually showing me.

I had my niece over at my house last weekend and in my backyard I have a rose bush. We are playing outside, I'm kicking a ball to her and helping her ride a mini-bike, when all of the sudden she spots the roses. Her attention is immediately drawn to the flowers and away from me and the toys. She walked/wobbled over to one of the lower hanging vines and stopped to reach for a single rose to pull towards her face. Of course I panicked for a second when I saw her reach for the roses because they are covered in thorns, but for whatever reason she managed not to get even the smallest of scrapes. I watched her close her eyes and sniff in the sweet scent. After breathing in her first smell of roses, she turned around and smiled at me.

I think that is all I need to say to make my point. So as you are rushing thru yet another Monday morning of pure madness, perhaps you will keep this story in mind. More importantly, may you be reminded of one of life's greatest lessons that even a baby is aware of and can teach us all.