Spring is the only time you can do this simple mindfulness exercise: Go outside and smell spring.

Many of us are having vacillating weather this year. So you can smell all kinds of things: a late snow, the pungent smell of mulch, the hint of rain in the air.

Spring is the time to open your windows, air out your comforter and sniff the lilacs. Read under a tree if you can. Any of your favorite breathing exercises becomes even more refreshing with all the scents in the area. You can find some ideas here.

Full disclosure: I am allergic to trees, grass and many plants God created. But I won’t let that stop me from enjoying this season. So I have to be especially mindful about enjoying the smells, which tend to be full of pollen. I take a pill, insert some nasal spray and head out to sniff until it’s time to come in. Or I stand by the window smelling the rain and wind.

All of these smells are God’s work. He invented scent and created a special smell for every living thing. I love to smell the musk of my cat’s fur, the intoxicating scent of hyacinths and the signature fragrance of the first rose of the season.

Be mindful of all the smells of spring and give thanks for each one you detect. That kind of Christian mindfulness can water the kindness and joy in your soul. You may find yourself writing a happy text to a friend or listening intently to your child, all as an outpouring from the freshness of your soul.

The smells of spring come just for a few weeks a year. Let’s rejoice and give thanks for them.