Life is better when you slow down and savor the small moments of the day. That old adage about stopping to smell the roses is true and it is important.

We spend too much time trying to survive the workday, living for the weekend, and just trying to get to some kind of higher ground where things will be better. We forget to enjoy what’s in front of us.

I’m guilty of this too. Some days are better and some worse. Some days aren’t meant for savoring as much as they are meant for survival.

This has been on my mind lately as I’m starting to look forward to adventure season and easier days. I traveled for work yesterday and was with a coworker when we stumbled across this house. She’s also outdoorsy and a fan of flowers and trees.

We both spotted this gorgeous magnolia tree at the same time, gasping at the glory of all those blooms. The entire yard and much of the street are blanketed in magnolia blooms. On the ground they’ve made a carpet so thick it looks like you could rake them.

We stopped for just a minute but it felt like a real treat to pause and drink in the view of this enchanting tree and the way it has transformed everything around it.

That’s the thing about beauty. Something pretty can make everything around it seem so much better.

I hope you’ll stop to appreciate something today even if just for a moment.