I have always admired flowers. My childhood memories remind me of my Nan. She loved her roses in her back garden and we would admire them together. Upon reflection she was teaching me a lot more about life than I realised; she was teaching me the secret of how to “pause, notice and simply being“.

In my own garden, I now have roses. Not pruned, not particularly cared for as I would like to, but none the yet, stunning when they bloom.

Just the other day, I noticed one of my rose bushes had a stunning pink rose bloom. I paused, and admired it’s colour, I felt it’s texture, and breathed in it’s beautiful fragrance.  I even took a photo, so that I could admire it after it’s time in full bloom ended. 

For the moments that I paused, my mind created space, to only admire that single, stunning, pink rose. And just for that moment, that space was filled with a rest from all of the realities of life, of grief, and there was just a sense of ‘being’. 

In grief, it’s important that we allow ourselves space to “stop and smell the roses”. It may be different for you, and not be a rose that brings you that space. It might be having a moment sitting in the space of admiring or finding joy in another type of flower, another object, or another person. It’s these spaces that we can add into our daily lives that can bring a short rest and help ease the intensity of the grief journey. 

For more information contact Michelle about The Grief Language Project® and how the Project can help your workplace can learn to manage their personal grief and bereavement challenges.