It's Not All Roses, But Stop And Smell Them Anyway

My dog has it figured out.

She stops and smells the flowers.

The first day we brought her home from the shelter, she walked around the wraparound deck and checked out the flowering plants. While she loves to chase the flies and the bees which hang around the fragrant buds, she definitely enjoys their fragrance.

On our afternoon dog walk route, there is some wild honeysuckle growing near the railroad tracks. A few days ago, she started sniffing the flowers that are now beginning to bloom. While as a dog, a great portion of her life is centered around things that smell...and some that don't smell too good I might add, she goes out of her way to inhale a little fragrance from each and every plant.

A lesson we should all remember.

It got me thinking about some of the small joys of life. Here are a few, while most times I don't even notice, are definitely meant to be savored...at least for a minute or two.

Clean Sheets: Slipping into a freshly laundered bed is heaven. Not only are you finally relaxing at the end of the day, but they feel crisp and clean. If they have been air-dried (remember that) in the sun, even better. If I was rich, I would pay someone to have my sheets changed every other day. If they were changed everyday, it wouldn't be as special, so I would sleep one day on used sheets, and fully appreciate the fresh ones the next day.

A New Tube of Toothpaste: Not a big thing, but after the last few days of squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of the old tube, to be the first one in the household to start a new tube...quite enjoyable.

The First Ice Cream of the Summer: One Sunday as we headed home from the lake, I made a quick right into the driveway of an ice cream stand. Now I'm a chocolate fiend, but when a homemade ice cream place has black raspberry...well it's a tough choice. As my first official cone (sugar cone that is) of the season, I went with the black raspberry. Imagine my delight when I realized it was a black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream. My joy was boundless.

The First Apple Pie of Autumn: The colors on the trees are breathtaking, the air is clean with no humidity and you stop at a farm stand to buy apples. After getting everyone in the household involved in the peeling and coring process, and a few cocktails to further raise the mood, the pie goes in the oven. In about 30 minutes, the first aromas begin finding their way through the house. Wait for it to cool, add vanilla ice cream and delight in one of nature's most delicious combinations.

A Cracking Fire: Imagine the joy of the cavemen. Not only had they found warmth and the ability to cook, but to watch the flames dance and hear the crackle of the wood burn. No matter how often we light a fire, it never gets old.

A Dog to Come Home To: No matter what kind of day you've had, how much stress you are under or if you've walked home from being in an overstuffed subway car in 95 degree heat...one thing you can count in is a wagging tail and someone to kiss your face.

Then she gets to go for a walk and smell the flowers... again.