Smelling the Roses

Yesterday I was driving along a small and windy road and I saw in the near distance a small bent over old woman. She was wearing traditional clothes, a pair of old well worn and walked on sandals and a peaceful look on her face,

As I got closer I could see she had a load of stick on her back; she was gathering firewood and she had  something strapped close to her chest, and reaslised it was a small baby...................the baby was wrapped tightly in a cloth and snuggled close to her her. I could see her lips moving and heard her singing to the baby in a quiet voice.

I saw her stoop on the grass as the side of the road and carefully bend down, and pick something up.
I slowed the car as I drove past her and waved a hello. ....in her hand was what she picked up.....it was a flower, a wild ginger flower; she smelt it and showed it to the baby, who laughed ...........and sneezed. She put back her head and roared with laughter, and as I drove past I could still hear he singing with laughter in her voice

A short but sweet lesson...it may not have been a rose she was smelling..but she found the time to smell it................and to share her happiness at its beauty.