Many years ago, before my mother was at her end stage of breast cancer, we took a walk together on Balboa Island. Every garden was full of roses spilling over and through white picket fences. I remember as if it was yesterday, we stopped so that my mom could smell a very fragrant rose in particular. She said so lovingly to me, “Don’t forget to take time to smell the roses along the way.” I knew she was giving me a pearl of wisdom before she died. At that time I was so busy raising my family, I could not imagine having any extra time to do that, even though it sounded blissful. Now, twenty four years later my children raised, I do have time and it is very precious to me, especially when I am holding the hand of one of my grandchildren. I believe that when we take the time to honor God and His beautiful creations, it is the sweet fragrance of gratitude we are giving back.
