Remembering to Stop and Sniff the Flowers

Of all the joys parenthood brings, one of the greatest is indeed how children change your perspective on life. They sort of bring with them the innocence you once possessed and make it a part of your life again, if only from the point of view of you wanting to preserver their innocence for as long as you possibly can.

Yes, the world suddenly shows its ugly face — the face that represents just how dangerous of a place it is and can be, but children teach us where and how to look for its prettier, more beautiful and joyous side. I mean you just have to watch your children playing outside to realise that actually we have everything we need to just live and be happy.

A child will find many creative ways to keep themselves entertained and the truly profound thing about that is that they don’t see it that way. They don’t view it as finding ways to keep themselves occupied, but rather see it as exploring this new world to which they’ve arrived.

This is true even in the age of Smartphones, Tablets and computers which kids seem to have a natural affinity with.

As a parent, we try to do everything to see that joy from our children. We try and give them all the things that make them happy, like feeding them and keeping them healthy, making the home as comfortable as they need, decorating their room with fun and colorful shaggy rugs and bunk beds, and buying them toys and games that entertain as well as educate them. Sometimes, it’s nice to take a step back from thinking about all the responsibilities we have as parents, and just watch our children as they run around having fun. And then we can breathe a little, and feel our hearts swell with the joy that comes from just watching our children do things they love.

Is there any greater satisfaction and joy than hearing your children laughing, expressing their pure happiness?

Children remind us to stop for a little while, take a step back and enjoy all which we’ve been given by default, or perhaps even the little we’ve worked hard for. So of all the things that parenthood teaches you, let this be one of the main lessons you take away — take some time out to stop and sniff the flowers so that you can enjoy the simpler things in life which are always within your reach.

This practice can help you develop a greater appreciation and love for life, offering you the strength to face and overcome challenges. For instance, if you’re a single parent who often feels lonely and uncertain about moving on, or if you believe you’ve crossed the age for dating and having fun, that’s not entirely true. Keep in mind that finding a suitable partner and experiencing mature dating is not only possible but can also be a rewarding experience.

Speaking of missing things, when it hasn’t rained for a while, I find myself yearning for the rain, reveling in the pleasure of catching the scent of damp earth wafting through the living room as the wind carries it in. Although some of my guests may not understand my penchant for keeping the sliding door wide open during rain showers, necessitating a bit of cleanup afterward, it allows me to observe the wildlife and insects that swarm my garden. I miss seeing them throughout the year, so when they invade my space during the rain, I love it. However, I do have my limits, particularly when it comes to bees entering my home.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the bees, but not when they’re in my home and refuse to leave. When this happens, I have to call a professional Honey Bee Removal company to remove them for me. At least this way, it’s been done in the calmest manner. That is the only downside of experiencing the rain again, but this is only a small problem. It’s definitely worth it and that’s just one of the many simple pleasures which life has for us if we simply took the time to stop, look around and explore a bit with the heart of a child.

Yes we do indeed live in what can be justifiably said to be a world which places way too much emphasis on economics and money to be more specific, but the onus is on you to call yourself to order a bit and decide where to draw the line. Before you know it, you’ll look up and realise that all you’ve been working for forms nothing but a vicious circle of trying to make money so that you can afford to pay off a house which stands empty most of the time because you’re always at work — err, trying to pay off the house…

Kelly Tate