I've always appreciated the expression “stop and smell the roses,” but I can't say that I have ever completely internalized the thought process. I certainly haven't practiced this way of life. Recently, Jo and I spent a good amount of time with family and friends. A whirlwind of visits and vodka, all the while we tried to stop and smell the roses; unfortunately, sometimes when you try to fit everything in, you might just hit the thorns and bleed too much to care about the delightful scent. Am I taking this analogy too far?
I was walking our younger puppy shortly after New Year’s and I noticed how she abruptly sat whenever the wind crossed her path. She seemed to be experiencing the moment in all its glory. I imagined she was thinking, peeing on the grass can wait, but this wind could pass me by. I suppose I think of her as too philosophical; regardless, she was certainly living in the now, pausing to experience a rich moment of life. On the top of my list of 2010 resolutions is to stop for a moment each day and feel the wind against my skin.
