Running to Smell the Roses

I was running along a trail in Breck today and spotted a beautiful flower, so I stopped to snap a photo of it (and take a breather since I had just come back to life at 10,000 ft!!).

It was a simple act, pretty mundane actually, but when I let myself really pause and admire the flower and focus on capturing the photo at just the right angle, it made me smile big. And then as I was running back, that little act got me thinking about why people say to “stop and smell the roses.”

It changes EVERYTHING.

I started to look around more keenly at all of life passing by. I didn’t just glance at the fairy village on this special trail, but I let myself stop and admire it and notice the intricate details. I smiled big again thinking about the person who took time to create it.

And as I got back into the main village of Breck, I started to look for beauty, for noteworthy, for special. It was ALL around me. The soothing sound of the Blue River. The afternoon light on all of the flowers. The musicians delighting a crowd. A couple holding hands or smiling at their child.

All the wonderful things that life is made of.

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So what if I had to stop my run for a second to appreciate it? It was totally worth it.

I feel like that happens a lot in life. We are all running towards something. The next event. The next goal. Something better, something easier, something more.

But what is the point? I would argue that one of the “points” of the running is so that we can have the luxury of stopping to smell the roses.

Well, why wait? 

Stop now. Pause now. Live eyes wide open now.

Play that game with your kid.

Smile and say hi to everyone walking by.

Listen. Really listen. To the person in front of you. To nature around you.

Write that postcard to a friend.

Watch the whole sunset or the moon rise.

Take a walk.

Sing, play your instrument, dance to the music playing loudly.

There’s so much good. So much to see and appreciate.

I really do try to live life like this daily. It keeps my heart grateful. It keeps me from taking for granted those little things, and keeps me connected to real life – the people I love and the beautiful world God gave us to enjoy and explore.

So, let’s keep “running.” Let’s keep in shape and keep going after those big dreams and goals in life. But let’s enjoy the roses – the people and the beauty – all along the way!