Life is hard enough, stop and smell the flowers, won't you?

Enjoy the tropics not by basking in the sun but by admiring flowers and their beauty. [iStockphoto] Why do we wait for Valentine's Day, wedding or funeral day to display flowers? Why don't we actively seek natural beauty? It's free and therapeutic. Have you ever spent a minute admiring a flower? Have you ever planted one? There is something sentimental about admiring the small things in nature. Forget the mountains or the skyscrapers. Ever taken time to observe a mosquito before killing it? Ever woken up in the morning to listen to birds singing? One of the big losses in urbanization is losing contact with nature. In the countryside, nature is part of you, from the rising to the setting of the sun. You live in nature, with nature. Never mind destroying it at times through deforestation. Curiously as we become more affluent, stop hustling we start seeking nature again. We want homes in the leafy suburbs or by the beach. We pay to visit national parks or zoos. Hotels and other public places spend money trying to "bring nature" closer through planting flowers, hedges, artificial waterfalls or even roofs that allow natural light. What happened to aquariums? Do visitors to such places ever pay attention to nature? Do you ever ask to be taken for a nature walk in hotels or resorts? Ever visited a home where the owner spent some time talking about the flowers, trees or insects in his backyard? We can talk about apartments later and if the balcony when present is ever used to admire nature. One could argue we have other more pressing issues to think about beyond flowers, sunset or nature in general. Yet it's that preoccupation with "other things" that should force us to pause and admire nature. And flowers are my favourite. Take a walk in your workplace and admire some flowers. Plant some at home. If you live in an apartment, get a flower pot and plant some. Watch them as they blossom and wither. It's a great lesson about life. It's paradoxical that we grow and export flowers but rarely have time for flowers. Many offices and occasions have flowers nowadays, but that's out of reach of hustlers. With time, these flowers become kawaida (ordinary). Nature has more variety. Do not wait for a wedding, Valentine's Day or a funeral to admire flowers, the ultimate in nature's beauty. Think of winters in the far south or north when life freezes. Enjoy the tropics not by basking in the sun but by admiring flowers and their beauty. And if you can share flowers with someone, go ahead but from your heart. Believe me, some of the most precious things in life are free, like the scent and beauty of a flower.

Life is hard enough, stop and smell the flowers, won't you?

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Life is hard enough, stop and smell the flowers, won't you?

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