If you’re like me, you’re moving in several directions all at once with no time to spare. Especially for things that you love to do. When it snowed in Houston this year, a rare occurrence indeed, it really forced me to slow my pace down. Just the shock of watching it snow and stick to the ground in this coastal city made me have a change in my thought process. I took a minute to collect my thoughts. I breathed in long and hard through my nose and gently exhaled through my mouth. It was a real eye opener. I just stood there, emptied my mind of all the rush, hustle bustle, and negative thoughts. It just happened. I can’t explain it.

Now my rescue dogs had different ideas than I did. They needed to do their business but both of them craned their heads around to look at me in bewilderment. I could tell from their curious glances that they wanted to know who put all of this wet, cold, white stuff all over their grass. And just how did I expect them to use the facilities in this condition? You know what I did since they broke my meditation concentration? I told them to suck it up buttercup and to go do their business. I mean, it wasn’t like I was asking them to make snow angels or anything. They gingerly pawed their way through the white patches and did their business. Then, they ran straight back to the house to keep warm. I wasn’t sure if they were just woosies or smarter than I was. Perhaps both, I don’t know.

But I stayed outside and watched the beautiful snow flakes come down. I felt the snow with my hands and even made a snowball. Unfortunately my wife was still sleeping so I had nobody to lob it at. It was so quiet, I could hear the snow hitting the ground. It was then that I realized something. Why haven’t I been doing this all along? Why do I let things all around pass me by without even taking notice? Did I need something as dramatic as a snow storm in Houston to remind me to slow it down and start enjoying the finite amount of time I have remaining on earth? Maybe, but don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere – for a while (that I know of).

I did notice that the landscape was just beautiful. Why had I not noticed that before? Shame on me for that. I also noticed that my heart rate had slowed down. I could actually feel that. I almost felt like I should start chanting some weird yoga thing – if I did that sort of thing, which I don’t. Not that there’s anything wrong with that (for someone else). But I did feel good. All of a sudden, I forgot about driving like a maniac to get to the office before all the seasoned citizens woke up and started clogging up the freeways with their Cadillacs. Gone were the stresses of business or family issues (everybody has them, don’t kid yourself). Nothing bothered me. I was free. Free from stress. Free from worries. Free from any issues that were plaguing me. At least for the short time the snow was falling.

I decided that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t need something as rare as a snow storm to calm my soul. Maybe I didn’t need anything to soothe my spirit other than good, positive thoughts. Maybe. All I know is I knew no matter what life would throw at me, it was time to stop, snow down, and smell the roses. To enjoy things that I normally just walked past and paid no mind to. Yes, spellcheck told me the phrase was actually slow down and smell the roses, but you know what? Since the snow storm, nothing bothers me, not even spellcheck or misspelled words. So I’ll just snow down and smell the roses. How about you?