tranquility du jour: mindful monday: smell the roses

stopping for a sniff along promenade plantée

bonjour from my window seat writing desk where light pink peonies from yesterday's farmers' market brighten my view. the day began with two big chilly rainstorms and now the temperature is expected to rise to 84. gotta love paris weather. constant flux. like life.

while smelling many flowers we passed on the promenade saturday, my friend denise (pictured below) captured the above picture. the rose was stunning. layers of soft pink that looked like tissue paper. and they were everywhere. a true delight.

moi + denise smitten with roses

while stop to smell the roses is, well, a tad cliché, there is an important lesson that lies within it. there is always something to complain about--weather, temperature, noise, hunger, thirst, et cetera. or something else to rush off to handle. the repetitive notion of "if only things were X, then i would be happy." i hear this in my own head and out of the mouths of others often. it's this constant seeking of perfection.

if only it wasn't so hot, then this picnic would be perfect. if only my guests would mingle more, then the dinner party would be perfect. if only i'd left the house 10 minutes earlier, then this traffic wouldn't be an issue. and on and on.

why can't we simply savor the beauty in front of us versus wishing things were different? i ask myself this question often, too.

today take a look around your home, office, or cafe {wherever you're reading from} and find something to celebrate. is it the tea you're sipping? the view you have? your pretty nail color? the music you hear? can you slow down what you're doing to embrace *this* very moment?

moments are fleeting. leaving only sweet memories. can you slow down to savor life and make time for what matters most? only you have the power to make this happen. i'm rooting for you and trying to do the same. stop and smell the roses. bisous. x

{below are pictures from saturday's date with denise. i was blessed to have a few retreaters who stayed extra days and invited me to play. thank you to all the lovely ladies who joined moi in france. i'm grateful for our memories.}