Alertness In the Community

“Stop and Smell the Roses”
-Jill W Tomey

Have you ever arrived at a destination and not remembered anything about the drive to get there? You suppose you followed traffic laws since you arrived, but the details of the trip are lost. I am always thinking ahead to the next place I must be or the next task I must do. Alertness tells me to stop doing that. It tells me to pay attention to what I am doing now – to enjoy it, to relate to it and to the people with whom I am interacting. Alertness requires me to be present with both my eyes and my heart open so that I have the right response.

Last year, my husband planted some rosebushes along the side of the house. I would see them if I looked for them as I drove up the street toward the house but for the most part, I did not get to enjoy them often. This year, I plan to make a point of enjoying the roses, watching their progress, noting the different colors and anticipating new blooms. Perhaps we will even plant some more so we can cut some to enjoy inside, too.

There are “roses” to enjoy all over the place if you are alert to look for them. Do you have mementos around the house that were gifts or inherited from loved ones, or that were bought on vacation? When was the last time the item made you recall the favorite thing about that loved one or that vacation? How many hobbies are gathering dust? Could you carve out some time once a week or so to spend some time on them? Is there anything else gathering dust that it is time to say good-bye to? The space you reclaim is a wonderful “rose” to enjoy.

This month, join me in using Alertness to look for the “roses” to enjoy!