Smell The Roses 🌹

Halfway through the summer, let us take stock.☝🏽 Depending on where we live, the effects of COVID-19 are up and they are down. Schools are announcing differing plans for September, where universities and colleges are instructing online, while high schools will be a hybrid. 💻 📝 Elementary schools around the world struggle with issues like outdoor lessons where possible, smaller class sizes, the mask dilemma, and whether or not to even open up. 😷 🔔 Many parents I have talked to are on the fence. On the one hand, they want their kids in school, complete with academic instruction, more socialization, and regular routine -- not to mention, going back to work themselves.💵 On the flip side, this means a return to 6 am wake ups, early bedtimes, and running that all too familiar rat race. ⏰ 🐀 No more lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. ☀️ 🏖 Never have I said to others more, or heard them say to me: “Your skin looks amazing”. The reason for all this wonderful, glowing skin? SLEEP. Regular, and longer sleep. 🛌 A rare gift amidst this pandemic. 🎁

The fear over the virus having stabilized somewhat, we are acclimatized to what is happening in and around the world. 🌎 Financial, physical, and emotional losses are real, as people struggle to find hope amidst the chaos. 🙏🏽 For many though, this pause has really helped to slow things down. As I said, take stock. What is important? Who is important? What kind of life do we want, going forward? 🤔

Small, simple things take on new meaning:

💫watching cute puppy videos 🐶

💫cleansing my skin properly 🧽

💫a morning workout 🏃🏽‍♀️

💫making a perfect cup of tea 🍵

💫drowning in my baby son’s smile 👶🏽

💫shooting hoops on my driveway by myself 🏀

💫slowly sipping that cup of coffee ☕️

💫ice cream🍦

💫staring up and marvelling at the beauty of the sky ⛅️

💫smelling my homegrown herbs 🌿

Lovely responses to the question: right now, what are the LITTLE THINGS that bring you joy on any given day? 💕

And so, as we move towards an opening up in society -- a so-called ‘back to normal’ -- we will certainly be grateful for steps towards ending this economic and health aversion.👣

At the same time, we must ask ourselves:

✔️What do I appreciate?

✔️What do I want to change?

✔️What did this pause mean for ME?

✔️How will I take time, to stop and smell those ‘roses’ in my own life? 🌹