Stopping to smell the flowers
Amongst the constant bustle of life, have you stopped and smelled the flowers recently?
It feels like the days are going by so quickly as I focus on major deadlines and count down the days to major dates. Things such as the dinner coming up in a few days, the exams that are only a couple of weeks away now, and the holiday plans are always marked in my calendar. There’s always something to look forward to or to dread. I find that I spend the meantime planning my time, whether that be what assignments I want to work on, or what topics I want to study. If there’s any event that I’m looking forward to in the future like a Korean BBQ dinner (I love them so much), I’ll be counting down the day towards that, wishing the hours in the day would go by faster.
Ironically, it’s only after the days have passed that I end up surprised at how time had gone by so quickly. I begin to regret not taking advantage of the lovely spring days or the peaceful moments with myself. I think back to the times when I was hanging out with my friends in between classes when instead of being present in the moment, my mind was preoccupied with the upcoming practical tests. As someone who has moved houses quite a bit in the past couple of years, I tend to catch myself when I notice my home space becoming just an area to work and sleep in. It’s only recently that I’ve started appreciating how beautiful the view outside my window is, or how despite moving my room still reflects my personality. I’ve come to appreciate the little details in life that can go so easily missed with a busy mind.
With how quickly life expects us to move and adapt, it becomes difficult to consciously slow down and appreciate the little things. Something that has helped me stay quite grounded is my plants. I have them surrounding my workspace and bedroom. Whenever I start to get overwhelmed with my studies, I glance over and notice things I haven’t before, like a flower beginning to bud, a new leaf, or maybe just how big the plant has grown. To me, they act as a physical reminder of time, to remember how time is progressing and reminding me to live in the moment. So for now, let me appreciate the flowers blooming in the spring before they wilt away.