The Scenic Route

First you notice. The saying is “Stop and smell the roses”, but what does that mean? Simply, to appreciate what is there along the journey as you travel it. I believe in this philosophy very much. And I have many anecdotes I tell which relate to that very concept; of finding myself in a memorable place, and taking the moment to fully enjoy it.

But it can be so much more. I offer using this moment of clarity to notice yourself as well. Here I am, walking along a path, beautiful roses standing tall beside me, their scent coloring the air a blissful pink. And what is going on within me? Contentment? An itch along my left thigh? A burgeoning sneeze?

When we hear that line we always imagine stopping to appreciate the finer things, the beauty around us. Such a loss, because even the ugly can have boundless merit. The homeless woman outside the convenience store, the littered fast-food carton, the ignored dog feces. Life isn't just the pretty, but the awful and unwanted as well.

While within us we can take the moment to appreciate the revulsion, the resentment, the fear that our minds automatically leap to. Why do we abhor the blaring music, avoid eye contact with the overweight woman, or fear the dangerous-looking man?

The first step is to notice, and that sets us along a path ripe with opportunity, because the second step is to locate the truth of what is around us. The roses affect my allergies, the dog feces offends my picture of how things ought to be, and the dangerous-looking man engages my fears. Within us is a tumultuous pot of emotional gumbo, churning forth bits of anxiety, love and revulsion in heaping ladle-fulls. So often we stop paying attention to the ingredients of each mouthful, believing we don't need the details to enjoy the soup.

I suggest this; take a moment to stop and look around you, and appreciate where you have arrived. While you are there, look at yourself as well. Notice the condition you have arrived in. Allow yourself to accept the truth of what you see. If all you wish to see are the flowers, the beautiful, fragrant, silky roses, then you may fail to notice the thorns. And while you are sucking your pricked finger in frustration, you can honestly ask yourself "why didn't I look closer?" In that honest answer lies the key to getting the most out of your journey.