# Along the way, take time to smell the flowers

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 25, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889 "2015-01-25T23:55:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/1 "2015-01-25T23:55:00Z")

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What is the origin of this phrase? I remember it from posters in the late-'60s or early-'70s, but I think I just heard a reference to it in a TV show from 1964.

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### Author: ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/2 "2015-01-26T00:25:52Z")

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> [@](#):
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> You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.

Walter Hagen, golfer, 1956 perhaps

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### Author: ![Khatruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Khatruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khatruid)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/3 "2015-01-26T01:29:56Z")

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Redone a ton of times, “Enjoy Every Sandwich” (Zevon), comes to mind. But, yeah, the golfer brought it to popular usage.

Regards,

Khatuid

The OP has apologized. Let’s give them a chance.

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### Author: ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/4 "2015-01-26T02:07:15Z")

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> [@Khatruid](#):
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> The OP has apologized. Let’s give them a chance.

[Moderator Note]

While I am aware of where this comes from, out of context it can be confusing since people will think you are referring to the OP of this thread.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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### Author: ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/5 "2015-01-26T02:16:26Z")

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> [@Colibri](#):
>
> While I am aware of where this comes from…

I’m not.

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### Author: ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/along-the-way-take-time-to-smell-the-flowers/710889/6 "2015-01-26T02:19:59Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I’m not.

[Here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18081266&postcount=17)