Take Time To Stop And Smell The Flowers!

While shooting pictures of my eldest daughter doing her thing on the softball field---she is the starting pitcher for the 10U Allstars this year---I wonder off in my head to when that was me, playing the same game, and seeing the same coach in her corner that I had. Papa must be thrilled that she carries on the tradition.

I notice out of the corner of my eye my middle daughter doing spins, so I grab a few shots of her before she tumbles to the ground. My son the oldest is behind the plate, umpiring the game. I grab a few shots of him, when all of a sudden my 2 year old says to me, "Mom come on I want to show you something!" So I get up and follow her, the glimmer and excitement that is bursting out of her has me captivated and totally intrigued. "What is it Turtle?" I ask. She just turns and waves her hand - come, come! So up the hill we go.

You smell it, you smell it? She walks to this little corner where a beautiful tree has grown Hibiscus. And the smell is glorious! And as she smiles and leans in, snap I took the picture. She says, "Mom, STOP, smell the flowers too! No pictures, just smell!"

It quickly reminded me to take a breath, nothing around you stops, and there is always time to catch up.

So now once a day, no matter where I am, I stop and smell the flowers. Life is short, it's complicated, and it can be rough. But in one moment that can all disappear. And how ironic we all go through life thinking, so little time and too much to do! But thanks to my daughter, who reminded me that "All  you have to do is remember to stop and smell the flowers."

Because everything around you will always be constant and you will never catch up fully. So take your time!  You don't want to miss out on the little things. Like your childs wisdom. They should be that constant reminder that life was simple and easy. And it can be again..as long as you STOP and take the time to smell the flowers. All of my kids have taught me some of the things we miss in life are the simple things the things we used to do when we were their age!