I had it all. Family. Career. Goals. Accomplishments. Social life. Health. Youth. But I didn’t have TIME.
My mother used to say to me “You need to stop and smell the roses.” I would simply smile and go about my tightly scheduled routine, rushing from place to place, giving little thought to her words.
Hey Mister Where you going in such a hurry Don’t you think it’s time you realized There’s a whole lot more to life than work and worry They sweetest things in life are free And they’re right before your eyes
Fast forward to 2010. To being a camera carrying, retired woman. To being a woman of a “certain age.” To being a woman who now has the blessed gift of TIME.
You’ve got to Stop and Smell the roses You’ve got to count your many blessings everyday You’re gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road If you don’t Stop and Smell the roses along the way
As trite as it may seem, photography has helped me slow down . . . and “Stop and Smell the Roses.” It’s during the drives through the countryside and walks in the neighborhood that I stop; stop to ponder the sights and sounds and, yes, smells of my surroundings. The intricate combination of strength and grace in the branches on a tree. The hardy leaves that hang on, refusing to fall from the trees long after all of the other leaves have fallen to the ground. The simple and delicate curve of a grassy leaf. The splash of color from berries in the middle of an otherwise drab and colorless landscape . The patterns and shapes that can be found all around us, even in weeds!
I count my blessings that photography has given me the gift of vision; a gift allowing me to notice, ponder and savor the smallest, sweetest things in life. A vision allowing me to find and appreciate the beauty of commonplace, everyday sights right before my eyes. And, I count my blessings that I now have the gift of TIME; time to walk through the wooded area of the park where I can stop and dream among the trees.
Did you ever take a walk through the forest
Stop and dream a while among the trees
Well you can look up through the leaves right straight to heaven
You can almost hear the voice of GodIn each any every breeze
She never saw any of my images, nor did she see my life after I retired and slowed down, but I think my mother would have been pleased.
You’ve got to Stop and Smell the Roses You’ve got to count your many blessings everyday You’re gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road If you don’t Stop and Smell the roses along they way
photo texture credit – Flickr user “Liek”
lyrics credit – Mac Davis
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February 5th, 2010 at 1:15 am
My biggest challenge is to do exactly this. You’ve made me a believer.
February 5th, 2010 at 4:19 am
What a beautiful post…and tribute to your mother’s words..and how you carry them with you. Am looking forward to the days when I can retire and do nothing other than smell those beautiful fragrant roses. Thank-you for this!!!
February 5th, 2010 at 5:29 am
Sue this could have been my words. There is a new world out there when one “stop and smell the roses”. So many things to see and so much beauty in the smallest of things. A beautiful post.
February 5th, 2010 at 6:44 am
This is one of my favorite texture shots you have done Sue! It reminds me of the bridge shot I showed you years ago in it’s quality! Speaking of quality really like those words too! As someone who never went fast enough to escape the rose smell and the sound of the corn growing you have passed me in you skill as a photographer, (as if it is a race).
February 5th, 2010 at 7:01 am
nothing is more precious than time. and nothing is worse than taking that time for granted, expecting it to always be there for you. this life of ours is not a dress rehearsal, it is the real deal. great piece.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:46 am
I ache for more time, especially when I find myself “wasting” time. Sue, this image is amazing. Thank you for the “in the moment” reminder.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:25 am
it has done the same for me sue
the camera is a true gift in your hands ~ elk
February 5th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Beautiful image ! I know the feeling, I started hearing the birds after I quit my job.
February 5th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I find a great value in stopping to photograph the same tree or vista time after time, to see the differences. that is what stopping to look has done for me. I don’t do it enough though.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Such a beautiful post, Sue. The words a timely reminder to slow down a bit. LOVE your photo – I keep coming back to look at it.
February 5th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Photography makes you look deeper into your surroundings. My oldest daughter has become quite the photographer. I enjoy spending time with her and seeing through “her” lens.
Its a good thing.
I like how you point that out!
February 5th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
A lovely post and a wonderful image! It’s only in the past few years, since I’ve virtually retired, that I’ve come to take the time to really appreciate the natural world around me. For me doing that has become one of of life’s best pleasures.
February 5th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Sue, I have taken pictures for a long time and have always noticed scenes I wish I could have photographed, but I didn’t have my camera or I was always in to much of a hurry to get somewhere else. And I would say to myself, one of these days when I retire, I’ll have the time to do this. So you hit the nail on the head for me. I’m not quite there yet, but time will come when I can realize my dream too.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Sue,
This photo is fantastic….especially with the texture. You know how much I love when texture enhances a photo like this! Love what you wrote as well! I have a garden sign that says “Stop and smell the flowers.” =)
February 6th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Thank you for reminding us of this important but often neglect priority.
February 6th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
I am so loving this tree, this magical feel – perhpas it lives in a place where time stands still.
As for the rest of us? We do the best we can, don’t we, to get as much into one day as we can. Never enough time. As someone who doesn’t see retirement as a possiblity – yes, there are those of us out here, LOL! – I have been teaching myself to slow down within my day, to really see what I see, to smell those roses. I don’t always succeed, but I am better at it now that 2 years ago, and that change has happened because I began to blog, and began to take pictures. A camera is a fabulous tool to slow one down; now I am always late to work! Beautiful post. Loved it.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:36 am
I agree – this tree is magical. Lingering. And wistful for those who wish for soulspace but have not achieved it yet. Photography forces us to slow down…so does wordplay.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
That image is incredible, Sue. Unbelievable. And I love how you have put these thoughts together on what can happen after we retire with a camera in hand. I totally agree. I still have to remind myself often, however, to slow down and smell the roses. Don’t you wonder what your mother would be saying now! Both of my parents died in the mid-70s and I often wonder what they would be thinking of all of this Internet blogging and photography “manipulation!”
February 8th, 2010 at 8:17 am
When visiting places with other people I often get left behind whilst I am taking photographs of things they didn’t even notice.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:56 am
sue i can’t tell you how much i appreciate the wonderful vision you have created here. your words with this phantasmagorical image! full of beauty and feeling. i am grateful to have had the opportunity to see your work. This image inspires and thrills me
February 11th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Lena would be sooooooo proud of you!! One of my all time favorites–think I have said that many times!! You have found a perfect balance in your life and for you to share your vision and verb is gift for all of us. I just smelled roses you must be close!
February 14th, 2010 at 2:01 am
when i first came to africa i met a wonderful man – an old kenyan professional hunter, who had long since retired. i was lucky enough to have him as my neighbor…what a character of note he was! he used to say this to me all the time ‘you have to stop and smell the roses’. in those days, 16 years ago, i was always rushing…running running running. i didn’t slow down, until illness made me take stock of my life. and now i’ve learned to stop…take a little time out. your post has given me a wonderful moment of reminiscing about a lovely person from my past…and his very wise words. thank you