Take the Time

There are two old sayings I've heard forever: "Wake up and smell the coffee," and "Stop to smell the roses." They both mean similar things, an urging for people to not be so wrapped up in merely existing that they can't appreciate the beauty and good things around them. I've spent years existing, taking care of my family, my employer, paying my bills.

Early in March, I took a trip to Florida with a friend. We drove, so we'd have a car to use while we were there. Early in the trip, with my family and worries left behind, I looked around at the scenery while my friend drove. The grass in Missouri was brown. The only thing in the countryside that resembled color were the fir trees, which were so dark a green, they were nearly black. I knew Florida would not look like this, and I wondered if I would notice the changes as we drove, or if they would happen too slowly.

Kentucky and Tennessee were still pretty bleak, although the grass was somewhat greener. As we approached Chattanooga, I saw some bushes – or maybe they were small trees – that had purple flowers. No leaves that I could see, but the splash of color was pretty. We drove around a curve, and there was a similar small tree with bright pink flowers. I could feel my spirits rise.

Then we were headed straight south through Georgia, and the landscape got greener and greener with every mile, it seemed. If I had not been looking for these changes, I probably would have arrived in Florida and THEN been surprised by the colors around me. But since I was being observant, I got to have my spirits lifted at least a full day early, by the sight of a few bright bushes and trees.

I've decided to look for those bright spots a little more often.