Stop and Smell the Roses

Recently, I’ve been reading the Eckhart Tolle book A New Earth. It was a really hard book to understand. I found myself reading the book out loud to myself when no one was around. If I tried to read in my head, the words just went swiftly past my eyes without entering into my gray matter. Even reading out loud did not make a huge difference in my comprehension. Nonetheless, I powered through to the end. I have since gone back to read chapter by chapter along with Oprah’s worldwide classroom on Mondays. The interviews with the author provide a lot more clarity, but it is still a stretch for this simple mind.

The one thing that I’ve taken from his writing is the metaphor of the flower as the representation of our "innermost being". It is the symbol of grace, joy and love. It just grows without effort, provides a brief moment of joy and then dies away. In a sense that is what our lives are in the ‘big scheme of things’. It would be nice that in our time on this earth, we CAN provide joy, beauty and love to others.

Since reading about this metaphor, I’ve literally and figuratively “stopped to smell the roses”. I will look more intently at the flowers, I'll gaze at the snow capped mountains of the Cascades, I’ll stop to stare at the cloud formations before a big rain, and I’ll remain still to watch an eagle go about its business of hunting for food (hopefully not me). I’m not sure that I have always taken those moments in the past. They provide me with a sense of peace. I almost feel proud of myself for stopping and appreciating (which is teetering on being an ego-motivated act which is a no-no for Mr. Tolle). I am trying to point out these finer details to the kids. I cannot expect them to appreciate nature as an adult can or would because their lives (by definition of being a child) are egocentric.

If spring ever comes to the Pacific Northwest (where are you sun and warmth???), I WILL stop and smell the roses, thankyouverymuch. Happiness and sunshine!

NOTE: Cutie petutie picture I did for a client