Trimming my rose bushes, I was moving along methodically while Charlotte napped; Eva was helping me when she stopped and dropped her nose into a beautiful bloom. She smelled it deeply, then looked up at me and stated, “These Magnolia blossoms smell like a fresh bar of clean soap, Mommy.” I couldn’t help but be amazed at her description and detail. I stopped what I was doing and smelled the deep-scented magnolia flower. I was surprised to find out it actually did smell like her description. With so many outside chores to finish, I had not realized that I had not taken the time to inhale their fresh aroma.
I love to cut and put fresh flowers around the house and outside on my porches. The girls love to stick them down in pretty vases. One afternoon, Eva showed Charlotte how to smell flowers. Charlotte smushed her face into the rose and smelled deep. She finished with a refreshing “Awe.”
Growing up on Dry Run Road in Pierre, SD, was like reliving Little House on the Prairie, except we didn’t wear bonnets or milk the cow.
We had a draw-out behind our house that had a flowing creek during certain times of the year. A draw is like a deep ravine with slopes on both sides leading down to water.; like a vast, large ditch. These are very common out west.
Behind our house, Dad had made a fire pit on the back ledge of our yard. We could hear the water when it was running and watch the horses who always would make their way down the draw to where we were sitting. You could listen to their hooves stepping through the grass as it brushed passed their legs.
The weather would be just cool enough for a light jacket when the sun would set late in the evening. I can still smell the sweetness of summer as the wind would die down on the wings of the sunset; the smoke from the fire and the crackling of the logs, the horses swatting flies with their tails, and meaningless chatter became memories etched in my mind forever.
I asked my parents why God didn’t make it possible for us to return to the moments we loved. Without hesitation, my father said, “Because there is no future in the past. You can visit by memory, but you cannot stay.”
Having dreams and goals is very important. Seeing how far you will get toward your target makes each day exciting. But in the process, don’t forget the goodness you are walking in right now. You can’t bottle it up, and you can’t go back. Make sure you are living in the present.
I love when Chuck surprises me with a beautifully designed vase of flowers from the local flower shop. There is just something about a bouquet of freshly arranged blooms. The smell inside a flower shop alone will keep people returning for generations.
Not long ago, flowers were delivered to my door. The surprise was delightful, and the smell of the creative, fresh bouquet made my day. I enjoyed the time they sat at my table. The flowers filled the kitchen with happiness that we enjoyed until they began drooping.
Reach for the stars and lasso the moon, but don’t miss the present reaching for the future. Take time to stop and smell the roses.
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