Take time to stop and smell the flowers!

I have loved flowers as long as I can remember. I grew up in a poor home and we had what we needed but rarely what we wanted. My mom was terminally ill for my teenage years as well as all my adult life, and so when we got food stamps, we would go shopping.

It was the highlight of the month because my mom would buy donuts for breakfast. We would then spend a couple hours buying the food we needed for the month. I don’t know when it started but there are usually displays of bouquets at the front of the store. I asked her one day if we could stop and smell the flowers.

I remember her smiling so big and answering yes excitedly. This became a thing between my mom and I. When we went shopping, we would look at each other and one of us would say, “Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers!”

We often talked about the importance of little simple pleasures in life. I spent a great deal of time with my mom and even lived with her up until she passed. I was able to care for her and share little moments like these often.

It is a reminder that tomorrow is not promised, so appreciate every moment because you never know when it will be your last!