It's time to smell the roses.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/77244080

It's another Monday morning and you get to do it all over again.  Your week has pretty much been laid out for you, and there is hardly a free moment to catch your breath.  Now you are OK with this because you know that the progress you make this week is just going to build on the progress you made last week and on the progress you will attempt to make the week after.  You recognize the challenges ahead, or would be challenges, and you move full speed ahead.

This will be an exciting week, there is no doubt, and with this excitement comes an anticipation of what comes next.  What is the next great adventure, endeavor, or effort?  Face it, you're not getting any younger and if ever there was a time to move forward with things, now is such a time, and you are just the person to do it.  Your focus has never been so well tuned, and your energy seems to have no end.  You just know that you can continue on, mastering all that needs to be mastered, and using these skills to achieve the dreams and desires of your heart, yep, you just know it.

Time out! This scenario happens all the time.  This scenario plays out in every town, every city, every state, and most likely in every family.  This scenario is what will be the demise, your demise, if you are unable to step back and just let go of all that you think you need to do today, and simply spend some time smelling the roses.  There are people who will spend an entire lifetime trying to achieve something and never ever give themselves the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their own labor.  There seems to be one challenge after another, one more hurdle or one more obstacle to get around, but once it is overcome, then it is smooth sailing and they can finally enjoy life.  Problem is, they never get around to enjoying life because they are so programmed to keep going, keep moving, keep doing, what they feel they should be doing.  OH, it is definitely time to slow down, and simply smell the roses.

I know that we all have goals and dreams.  I have huge dreams and goals, but that being said, I don't know of anyone who on their death bed will say that they wished they had just one more day to achieve just one more goal, spend one more hour at the office.  No, they will tell you that they wished they had just one more day to tell those closest to them what they mean to them.  They would give anything to let those closest to them to know the love they have for them and the desire for them to find true happiness and contentment in life.  In the end most would say they wished they had allowed themselves the opportunity to really enjoy the things in life that they never allowed themselves to enjoy.  You have the ability and opportunity to do just that today if you will just step back and smell the roses.

When was the last time that you just stepped outside on a moon lit night to look at the stars and marvel at the universe and the beauty present?  When was the last time you just sat by the ocean and observed nature and the splendor of the waves coming across the beach?  When was the last time you simply stopped everything and took a deep breath and thanked God for all the opportunities given to you and the ability to achieve all those things you have achieved?  There is a general mindset amongst certain people that if they take anytime away from the project at hand that they are somehow robbing humanity of the greatness they are attempting to bring to it.  Hey, I applaud you for your diligence, but you have missed out on quite a bit of joy and happiness that should be yours if you would simply slow down and smell the roses.  I have joked to people in the past that why put off until tomorrow those things that can be put off until next week.  Is there anything so important in life that simply taking twenty minutes to enjoy your surroundings is going to mean the beginning of the end?  If you think so, then you have a very warped view of life and and even more warped view of your importance or perceived importance to the rest of humanity.  Don't get me wrong, I am sure you have great things to accomplish and without a doubt will probably accomplish them, but at what price?  What price is too high to get something done?

Please take some time today to enjoy some of the simple joys of life.  A smile from your kids, a wink from your significant other.  The birds chirping or the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.  The sight of an elderly couple holding hands and casually walking in the park.  There are so many things that you can observe, and yet when was the last time you afforded yourself the opportunity to do this?  Our time will come to an end some day, and the last thing you want to think about is all the time you spend getting to a certain place in life and yet never affording yourself the opportunity to enjoy all that you accomplished.  There are times when a day at work seems like a week, a week like a  month, and a month like a lifetime.  We get wrapped up in all the stuff we are supposed to do and times passes by.  Before you know it time is coming to a close in this life of yours and there is nothing you would not give to have just a single minute extra, if for no other reason then to take those sixty seconds to just sit back and smell the roses.

Do yourself, and those around you a favor, and just relax for a minute and think about and be thankful for all you have, all you can do, and all that awaits you in the future.  If you can not appreciate all that you have right now, why are you working so hard for other things that you will undoubtedly not appreciate either?  Think about it, but think about it while you are taking a few minutes just to enjoy everything that is going on around you.  Take in the fragrance and know that it is there for you any time you desire it.