Please, Smell the Roses.

“Life is too short to miss the sunsets, love and good wine.”
I just sent that thought out to a friend, and immediately got to wonder if all of us, me included, have spent too much time with noses to grindstones when young and energetic to stop to enjoy the world. In my case the answer is probably no. I balanced my academic career with lots of side jaunts into nature, relaxing evenings with my love and great times with my students.
These days we have to look pretty hard to find time or motivation to get around all the bad news and cut loose for a few days, or a lifetime. Still, cut loose we must, or suffer the inevitable spiral of downward expectations and maybe even depression. Yes, the world looks bad and getting worse. But there are pockets of really good things going around all of us. Even from the unspeakable events of 9/11 there are heroic and awesome stories of lives changed forever, and some for the better.
Last night Tallahassee Community College dedicated a new health education center to educate the next few generations of health professionals like nurses and first responders. A very positive and forward-looking event. The Center for Biological Diversity spends it’s days and resources trying to fight off the destruction of species and habitat so animal and plant diversity will go forward into the next generations. An uphill struggle, but one that should be undertaken.
But at the bottom of all this is a simple observation: if you don’t take the time to see the sunset, and love, and enjoy life, then there is no point what-so-ever in all the rest. So go forth and plan, save the world and all in it, but please, don’t forget to smell the roses.
(These thoughts are dedicated to Miss T. Thanks for caring)
Image:http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l1lv3igDQC1qbb5axo1_500.jpg