Last Saturday afternoon, Father could not come and pick me up when school was over because he was engaged. I had no choice but to make it home on foot on my own.

It was a sunny day, and we had a very beautiful sunset on the western horizon towards evening. On the way home, it suddenly occurred to me that I had not walked so slowly on a picturesque evening for ages. I am tied up by schoolwork most of the time. Even the trip home is taken in Father’s car. But right now, I was heading home at a leisurely pace on a small path, with a glorious sun setting in the background. As I was strolling along without haste, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms filled my nostrils. A balmy breeze kissed my face now and then, and I felt very comfortable.

A fast-paced lifestyle forces us to rush everything. In the process we miss a lot of small yet important details. The beauty of nature ebbs and flows with our heads buried in the rat race.

To savour life, we have to slow down and smell the flowers from time to time.