Stop and Smell the Roses...Literally

The person who came up with the phrase "stop and smell the roses" must have had children.

How do I know that? Because adults don't do it. Only children.

I love taking my kids to Bridge Street. I'm sure Chris thinks it's so I can shop (and yes, it's tempting) but it's really because it's just a great place for kids to walk around. It's a nice open space, complete with a carousel, a fountain to throw pennies in and a cool bridge for kids to walk across. So, when the weather is nice, I often take my girls there and just let them roam around.

I took Lily last week and while we were there, we were walking along when she said, "Look, mommy. Flowers!" She knelt down and started saying, "Purple, yellow" and telling me the different colors she saw. I knelt down with her and we just looked at the flowers.

Today, we went back to return some clothes I got for Ann Catherine at Baby Gap. Again, Lily said, "Flowers!" and we stopped to look at them. She again told me all of the colors she saw and pointed at the ones she really liked. I just sat there watching her. She had the biggest smile on her face and was just soaking in the brightness and beauty of these little flowers.

On the way home I realized, when do I ever stop to look at flowers?? I'm usually in such a hurry getting from point A to point B that I often fail to notice God's creation.

But when I'm with my kids, that all changes. The other day, Lily and I were walking into an office and the wind was blowing. A leaf came tumbling past us and she stopped dead in her tracks and turned her head to watch it blow through the parking lot. As I watched her I realized that I never notice leaves blowing past me.

I want to be more like Lily. I want to notice the beauty that God has placed all around us. Not just notice it. I want to stop and really look at it. Thank you, Lily, for showing me what I often miss.