If you take the time to read this post, let me warn you it is mostly for my own self-reflection. It may not follow any rational line of thought.The old adage "Stop and smell the roses" has always meant slow down and enjoy the little things in life. For me a new meaning has developed. When I hear "stop and smell the roses" I know I need to appreciate things in life that will always stay the same. A beautiful blooming rose will always smell, well like a rose. It doesn't matter if life is falling apart around you. It doesn't matter if you are sad, happy, angry or hurt; a rose will always smell sweet. Coming to the realization that life does not turn out as planned can be a difficult turning point on the road to self-discovery. How many times I said, "by that time we'll..." and "well our plan is..." only to have that time come and go and the plan dissolve before it even began. How easy it can be to lay down and cry. To ask Why? or Why not? To wonder when it's going to get easier, like everyone else tells you it will. Sometimes it doesn't get easier. Sometimes waiting is the challenge. Sometimes you escape one hardship only to find another. Sometimes life has a different plan, and I've learned that life's plan always trumps your plan. But a rose will always smell the same. And, the sun will always rise in the East. Sometimes the world seems like it's spinning without me. Like I've lost control of the situation; or, everything is pushing in the opposite direction of where I want to go. Sometimes life's plan, the Lord's plan, makes no sense to me. And, I wonder why my dreams seem so out of reach. At these times I found that focusing on the constants in life, even if they are as simple as the smell of rose, enable me to focus on what's important. I am truly blessed. I have loving husband and beautiful, healthy kids. I have never been without a roof over my head. I have never had to walk through the dust and heat to find drinking water. I have never had to pull the blanket tighter around me to stay warm. I have never had to forage or beg or stand in line for a slice of bread. I am so blessed. I have come to appreciate the simple, beautiful things that have been placed on this earth for my enjoyment. I am content. I will appreciate the smell of the rose, the warmth of the sun on my face, and the sound (at least the memory of) of the ocean as it laps upon the shore.
