Stop and Smell the Flowers

It never fails. There are two things that my children insist on doing whenever we go to the local grocery store. First, we stop at the bakery, where they are practically on a first-name basis with the people who work there. Then, before I can even break out my grocery list to begin our shopping, we have to go over to the floral display. My kids consistently remind me to take time to stop and smell the flowers.

I don't know that many people who can claim to NOT be busy. I don't think I'm all that much busier than the average person. I have a family to care for, a job (or two) to keep up with. I have friends who I love to spend time with whenever possible. And I have volunteer activities that I enjoy because I treasure the satisfaction I feel when I help someone else. Sometimes my schedule is smooth, sometimes it's rocky. There are days when I have nothing planned...blissful days when I might choose to get an hour or two of work done just to make sure I have less to do later on my busier days. My kids are a great reminder that sometimes, just sometimes, it's alright to just stop and enjoy whatever peaceful moments I can grab. I am so lucky to have them, and their reminders are definitely priceless.

Yesterday, I was working on a project and my son came into my home office. He said nothing at first, just looked at the computer and stood quietly. I wrapped my arm around him and said, "What's up?" Very calmly, very quietly, he leaned toward me and said, "Mommy, come cuddle with me." The kids got twin-size beds a couple of months ago, and he's just thrilled with the fact that I can squeeze onto his bed with him, something I couldn't do when they were sleeping on toddler beds. We climbed onto his bed together, cuddled up, and pointed out "imaginary" shapes on the ceiling, a game he's come to love recently. It was a perfect moment in time, one I don't think I'll forget anytime soon.

If you're having a busy day, do yourself a big favor...stop for a moment. Take just a few minutes to stop and smell the flowers. Jeremy and Megan might not stay little forever, they might not always want to cuddle with their momma, but the memories we make today are ones we can carry with us for years to come.