Wake up smell the roses
Life is happening and you don’t know it
Wake up, take a moment
Grab it in your hands… and own it

(Natasha Bedingfield)

“Wake up and smell the roses” or is it “Stop, and smell the roses”? I’m not sure which one is correct but either way, both are good fodder for contemplation. To someone who suffers from severe hay fever symptoms, smelling roses is not always a good idea. Metaphorically speaking however, there are some very good reasons for me to do so.

The two phrases are similar but convey very different messages, both of which I can relate to during this period in my life.

It is too easy to get caught up in the daily rush of modern life, blinkered and unappreciative of your surroundings, taking for granted the people around you. I need to stop and think. Appreciate what I already have and enjoy it. Slow down, calm down and look after myself-in other words stop, and smell the roses.

Wise advice which happens to compliment perfectly the act of siezing the day. Seeking out new opportunities and making new friends helps to give your life a balance of stability and excitement. This will be me waking up to smell the roses.

As Ben Hogan said, “As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.”

and finally…..

Carpe Diem!

“Sieze the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off dessert.” (Emma Bombeck)