A STORY TO LIVE BY
(forwarded by Sally Arnold)
I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and
admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.
I'm
spending more time with my family and friends and less time at
work.
Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to
savor, not
to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish
them.
I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for
every
special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped,
or the
first Amaryllis blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market. My
theory
is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of
groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but
wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.
"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my
vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see
and
hear and do it now.
I'm not sure what my cousins would've done had they known that
they
wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I
think
they would have called family members and a few close friends.
They might
have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for
past
squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese
dinner,
or for whatever their favorite food was. I'm guessing; I'll never
know.
It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I
knew
my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain
letters
that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I
didn't
tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love
them. I'm
trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that
would
add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I
open my
eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every
breath truly is a gift from God.
Author Unknown