There is an old saying that goes, “You need to stop and smell the roses”. What it means, of course, is that we all should slow down some and enjoy nature, its beauty, and all that life in general has to offer.
As humans, we tend to rush through life at far too fast a pace while skipping over those things that matter.
I will admit that I never really paid much attention to flowers until I started walking my dog. He loves everything about his walks and I try not to ever rush him because I admire how he explores everything. He will stop and smell the branches that have fallen. He’ll observe a rock. Nothing misses his notice.
What I truly love is how he stops and smells the flowers. And sometimes he will stand over a flower for quite a while, just basking in the beauty of the smell. I’ve decided that instead of watching him as he enjoys nature, I’ll join in.
Spring (my favorite season) has appeared. And I really look forward to enjoying the beauty of my neighbors’ gardens as I go on my daily walks.
I’ll end by saying this. There appears to be some added benefits in flowers. Check out the study below, which indicates that flowers actually have some degree of health benefits:
Research Findings
A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.
- Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.
- Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.
- Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.