Busy lives have us dashing from one appointment to the next with a seemingly endless to-do list.  Life can be so hectic.  We have to be here, then be there — sometimes it’s hard to slow down long enough to catch our breath and ‘just be’ — to take time to relax, love, live and soak in the beautiful moments of our lives — like watching a sunset with someone you love, a precious moment with your child or friend. We don’t stop often enough to enjoy a rainstorm, a crackling fire, or waves crashing to the shore. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMUvgt8lW0E[/youtube] We can miss wonderful moments that take our breath away — holding hands, a passionate kiss, or gazing together at a starry sky. It’s those moments that are the essence of life. Goals and dreams are wonderful as long as you remember<!—more—>to always take time to stop and smell the roses along the way. I received a gift a few years ago that literally changed my life. It was a small gift, a book that many would have just tossed aside and never read. I’m so thankful I took the time to read through the pages and discover its powerful portal to happiness. The video I have on my blog today, The Dash by Linda Ellis, was the inspiration for my small gift. This simple poem touched my heart because it reminded me that  no one knows how long they have on this earth — that love, laughter, and the special moments of our lives are the greatest gifts that life has to offer. In the blink of an eye, we’ll all be years older — and in those golden years of life, no one ever wishes they had worked longer hours or owned more toys. They think of love and laughter — they long for more of their precious moments. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in the pace of our lives — in our endless to-do lists and goals to build empires, that we lose track of what is really important. It’s not what we accomplish, how much we own, or what we do — it’s who we are, how much we love, and how we touch the lives of others that truly makes a difference in our own lives. I hope you remember the essence of life the next time you dash from one appointment to the next and slow down just a little — think of a different DASH — and schedule in some time to smell the roses along the way. Casi Source:  simpletruths.com