Stop and Smell the Roses

On a recent walk, I passed a neighbor’s house and a rose waved to me in the sunlight. I could not help it; I had to stop to sniff the beautiful scent of the rose. The rose gave me a magnificent gift that day, as it beckoned me to enjoy her beautiful aroma.

Another couple walking towards me saw what I had done, and yelled out, “That’s the spirit, stop and smell the roses, we never take time to that.” I joyously laughed and as they passed me, they too, stopped to inhale the beauty of the rose.

As I continued on my walk, I began to ponder the phrase stop and smell the roses. We often do not take time to enjoy simple pleasures. We live in such a hurried and harried society, running in many different directions at once. Mores the pity, that such a simple thing to do seemed like such a novelty that day.

I promised myself to make time for more moments like the one I experienced that day. I urge you to make a pledge today, to stop and enjoy the moment at hand and if you see a rose waving at you…Stop and say hello!

As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round. ~Ben Hogan

Oprah's Favorite Things

The joy of giving and receiving.

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10

Externally Grateful…

November was a month filled with thirty days of thankfulness. I have so much to be grateful for. If I said thank you as much as I have been blessed they would be as countless as the stars!!!

I urge you to think about giving thanks all year and not just around the holidays. Create a new habit and make it an important part of your life.

Just as you make time to dream and to play, make time to smile and be grateful. Take a moment of your day to give a playful wave to the Universe, and be thankful in that moment.

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” Brian Tracy

Play Time

Okay so my posts have been so serious lately. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it is the best time to relax, hang out, and play. So go on have some fun. Do you want to play with me?

Oh Jolly Playmate

Come Out and Play With Me

And Be My Jolly Friend

Climb up My Apple Tree

Slide Down My Rainbow

Into My Cellar Door

And We'll be Jolly Friends Forever More

Lessons of Hope

The Haitian earthquake has brought attention and compassion to a country that has lost so much. Every day we hear about the death and the plight of the Haitian people. What impresses me most is the hope and faith of Haitians in the midst of utter despair.

This is a lesson in what it means to have faith and hope. When life is at its darkest, continue to hold on. I watched the news as they pulled a man from the rubble, and he was praising God. His shouts of joy and gratitude after being literally buried alive for almost a week are the stories of the miraculous.

The countless incredible stories of survival in the midst of the Haitian tragedy made me rethink my situation and those who are struggling. I was recently asked how it was going for me in this tough economy. I started to answer by going down the road of the “a’int it awful club.” I did an about face and corrected myself. I stated emphatically that I am doing well. For you see when I look at what is happening in Haiti, I have no reason to complain. I have the basics of life: food, water, shelter and I am alive! Trust me that reality check really puts things in perspective.

I am confident that the Haitian People will survive this, as they are a strong, independent, and faith-filled people. Haiti was the first Black republic in the world and the first country in the Western hemisphere to abolish slavery completely. Haiti is a country that can inspire the rest of the world to have hope.

Thank You

Recently, I called someone I had done business with to tell them thank you. I wanted to let them know that they had done a great a job and that I had really appreciated their efforts. The response was one of utter delight and surprise. She was quite taken back and kept telling ME thank you.

So often, we call a company to voice our dissatisfaction with their product or their customer service. Yet, when something goes well we are often silent. The old adage says, “Have something good happen tell one or two people, when something goes wrong tell ten to twenty people.” Worse than that, we embellish the story beyond belief. Why is that? Shouldn’t we shout from the rooftops when things go well and tell as many people as possible?

A simple and heartfelt thank you cost you nothing. It is free and the payoff is great. Today, I urge you to appreciate someone.

Thank You…Two simple words that go a long way.

Gratitutude

According to the dictionary the definition of gratitude: the state of being grateful: thankfulness.

This word gets bandied about especially this time of year. During the Thanksgiving Holiday, people greet each other with Happy Thanksgiving. My translation of this greeting, I hope you have a great day and that you are truly thankful for everything in your life. We should be grateful for being alive and working each day to make a conscious contribution to the planet.

Think of this day as a day of gratitude. Today be really grateful for every moment of your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!