Stop and Smell the Roses

Today was another perfect summer day.  The nights are getting cooler, indicating that fall is right around the corner.  While my commute is slightly shorter now, it is still about 45 minutes.  This time, both in the morning and evening, allows me to contemplate, daydream, and experience occasional bursts of road rage.  Fortunately, today was not a road rage day.  The drive to work now is not quite as scenic, but even cities, with their grunge and dirt have their own charm.  For instance, last week I saw a random rooster walking around, looking perfectly content.  There are also interesting people who walk alot, since cities, unlike suburbs, are equipped with sidewalks.  I drive through part of north Philadelphia on my route, so it is interesting to see all the row homes, small businesses, and interesting people going about their day.

My office has a pond, park bench, and roses next to it.  Sometimes, during lunch, I eat outside, both to enjoy the weather and de-thaw my frozen fingers and toes from the air conditioning inside.  Having green space near the office is so incredibly important.  We spend most of our time at work, often in dark, small cubicles without windows.  Having a place, to just smell the roses once in awhile is a nice way to decompress from the daily stresses that come in a work day.  I realized today, as I sat gazing over the artificial pond with the breeze flowing through my hair, eating my lunch, that I am fortunate.  Fortunate to have a job, a roof over my head, and personal transport.  Fortunate to be able to eat what I want and not worry about the cost.  Fortunate to have a furry friend to greet me when I get home.  And fortunate that I work in a place that has roses available to stop and smell once in awhile.  So today, unlike the other days I have eaten outside, I did indeed stop to smell the roses and they were sweet.  It is something I will try to remember to do more often.  Life, afterall, is short.

The pond outside my office

Roses galore!