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This spring, I did something I haven't always done other years. I've made a point of really enjoying and appreciating the flowers blooming this time of year and bringing some inside so I can look at them more often.
I'm not really sure why I've never done this other years. It's not like it takes a lot of time to cut a few flower blooms and put them in a vase with some water. I guess I just always felt like I was "too busy" to bother. My mental to-do list was so full that there wasn't room in my mind to even notice the flowers, let alone think to bring them inside.
But when I really stop to think about it, is my to-do list really that important?
Some of the things on the list are, of course. There are many things that really do need to be accomplished. But, at the end of the day, would I rather have a list filled with check marks or would I rather have a "list" of simple joys that I took a moment to notice and appreciate?
Laundry and dishes and work and everything else will always be there. Always. They never seem to go away. But the lilacs won't always be there. Neither will the violets. They bloom for such a short time, and then the flowers wither and fall. Sunsets are fleeting, and in just moments the colors shift and fade away. The days of warm sunshine and cool breezes are only here for a short while before the cold days of winter come again.
It's only been a couple of weeks since I took those pictures of the lilacs and the violets, and already both are gone. My favorite wisteria vines that I pass by every time I walk my dog are already empty of flowers, and the petals have all drifted down to the ground. I'm really glad this year that I took the time to actually notice them and enjoy them while they were still here.
Just the other day I was busy working on my computer, trying to get things done so I could cross more things off of my to-do list when I noticed a little glimmer of a rose-colored sunset out the window. I might not have even seen it if my computer hadn't been taking such a ridiculously long time to download a file I was trying to open. When I got up to look out the window, I saw a beautiful blend of rose and violet colors splashed across the sky. Colors that I probably never would have even noticed if my eyes were still glued to my computer screen.
Am I Making Time For Flowers and Sunsets?
So now, whenever I find myself feeling overwhelmed by a mile-long to-do list, I ask myself those questions. Am I taking the time to look at the flowers? Am I noticing the sunsets? Or am I so busy with other things that I don't even notice them?
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The information in this post is not to be taken as medical advice and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease.