The Friday News Minute!

A weekly gem of information you will be using on Monday!

New! Blog your comments and read what others have to say about the Friday News Minute http://fridaynewsminute.blogspot.com/

A good friend asked me to go for a walk with her around Lake Junaleska last evening. This was an offer that I gladly accepted! The walk around the lake is peaceful, with breathtaking views of the mountains and of course plenty of ducks and swans to keep you company. A little more than a mile into our walk we came upon a stretch of rose bushes of all sizes and colors in bloom. Roses are one of the wonderful things in life that stimulate not only your eyes...but your nose too. I found myself stopping frequently to enjoy the different bouquet that each type of rose offered. Without sounding like too much of a cliche...the experience with the roses gave me the idea for this  week's Friday News Minute. 

Taking the time to stop and smell the roses

Walking beside the roses brought back the pleasant memory of the walkway through the rose bushes at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida. As a one time Florida Resident Passholder, I frequently visited the Theme Parks in Orlando and would find myself caught up in the crowds...and the long lines for some of my favorite rides; Rock-N-Rollercoaster, Splash Mountain, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Test Track etc.

While the rides were fun, I found alot of enjoyment in the time that I spent smelling the roses and doing other things that allowed me to step back away from the crowds and the rush-rush. It seemed that each of the parks had its own unique area that allowed you to slow down and smell the roses. This might be one of the greatest secrets of attending the parks. In the midst of tens of thousands of people and what seems like an almost unlimited amount of things to "do"...there is an area to do nothing.

We seem to enjoy being busy and giving ourselves lots of things to do. I wonder, that in the process of doing so much...that if we took the time to stop...if we would be more and less. More productive, more peaceful, more connected to our selves, and less stressed and susceptible to life's energy draining drama.

Your opportunity this weekend and into next week is to stop and smell the roses...or to just stop being so busy. In the beginning you may find yourself impatient with stopping and your ego telling you just how stupid you are. (Really, how can you stop when you have so many things that have to get done!)

With a little bit of practice that persistent little voice will quiet down and you will enjoy the time you create to refresh, reenergize and replenish yourself for the next rounds of busily doing things. Quite possibly, you will be more and less.