Stop And Smell The Roses

Or any flowers you like . . . which could be added to the phrase.

Perhaps the most important part of that phrase is the word “stop”, since the point is to stop what we’re doing to get some fresh air–keep the stress of the situation from wearing us down.

Of course, we can use artificial scents that can be plugged into the wall (such as the smell of roses) if we want to smell roses all the time. To smell a rose in terms of what the quote implies, one would most likely have to go outside to a garden or an area with flowers and plants.

Even when we’re outside, we might miss the roses because we’re so caught up with what we’re doing that we don’t notice them. Not only roses, but the greenery, insects, sky, weather, and the people around mesh to a blur as we focus on what we’re occupied with.

The root of the phrase is about taking a step back from the microcosm of our world to the macrocosm of the world around us. Roses are something that are around us that have a particular scent which is welcoming. To stop and smell the roses is an act of outward awareness, of being cognizant of our environment.

On a grander scale, we step outside of the maze and confusion of our thoughts and become cognizant of the beauty around us. When we become aware of it, the world seems a lot less confusing and stressful. We get perspective, and realize that perhaps the situation at hand isn’t worth all the attention we’re giving it.