I spent the evening with my dad.  Very difficult watching him get smaller and smaller.  Heart-breaking to see all the changes.  Sweet to hold his hand and hear his "I love you".  Every time I wonder if I'll get another time.  Funny how things like this make you notice things you've not noticed in a long time.

When I got back home about 10:30 or so, I stepped out of my vehicle, gathered up my belongings, and headed toward the front door.  My son was on his front porch, next door.  He came over to visit for a minute on my front lawn.  We chatted for a few minutes, and I noticed a sweet, familiar smell. 

The night was cool, with a slight breeze.  One of my fondest childhood memories involves picking a few honeysuckle blossoms and pulling the stamen out of the center and sucking on it for the sweet flavor, with my best friend and next door neighbor. 

Much to my delight, I suddenly remembered this often repeated event from my grade school years, due to smelling that wonderful, sweet honeysuckle scent wafting past my face.  I asked my son if he smelled it.  He said, "Yes, there's honeysuckle over there along the neighbor's fence line, Mom."  Now, I have lived here in this house for ten plus years.  Not once, do I remember smelling honeysuckle, or even noticing it growing so close to my home.  Maybe when we are in crisis mode, we appreciate those little things and take the time to actually breathe them in.  In my opinion, the sense of smell is by far, one of our most powerful senses.  So many scents can transport us back to our early days, our high school days, college days, our children's early experiences, etc.  I can smell the scent of Estee and shed a tear because it smells just like my mom always smelled.  I miss her so.  I can smell Playdough or Crayola Crayons and immediately remember events from kindergarten or the early elementary years.  I can smell Polo and remember an old boyfriend. 

Take time to smell the honeysuckle...(or roses, whichever you prefer).