Abby Sunshine

How often do you take a moment to actually stop and smell the roses? In this photo, perhaps it was a tulip, but nonethe less, we took that moment. Does Abby look like she is fully embracing this time? I don’t think so, I believe she is distracted. I guess she noticed something different than the flower, which is actually doing just what that saying means! Taking time to smell the roses is all about taking a breath and noticing what’s right there.

Sometimes we get very busy with our activities, running here and there, driving to classes, being dropped off and picked up from sports, practicing our instrument, doing homework and getting to bed on time. With all of these details swimming in our head, we sometimes look past special things that are right in front of us! One great place to take a breath is when we’re outside. Try this. Go for a walk with your family. Every couple of minutes, stop, look up, look down. See what you can see. Are there interesting clouds? Is there a tree that is shaped in a way you hadn’t noticed before? It’s amazing all of the discoveries we can make while taking a moment to observe. It’s fun and it feels good, too!

I’m not too concerned about Abby taking time to smell the flowers. She, being a dog, lives very much in the moment. (and literally likes to smell everything!!) I guess we can take another tip from a dog:  appreciate the moment.