Sunday 21 May 2006

Take Hold of Every Moment...

Years ago, I was e-mailed this story and I'm sure it's done the rounds, but it's something I always keep at hand, along with Desiderata.
Now this story may be made up, or even been part of an e-mail scam, but regardless, it portrays a message that everyone should keep in mind.
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A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, he said, isn't any ordinary package."

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago.
She has never put it on.
Was saving it for a special occasion."

"Well, I guess this is it."
He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing's he was taking to the funeral house…
His wife had just died!

He turned to me and said:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".

I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day.
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions. I use it whenever I want to.

The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.
I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.
I would regret it; because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, write letters that I wanted to write "One of these days".
I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.

Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives.
And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Remember that "One day" is far away…Or… Might never come…
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Today, I'm Most Angry About: Going to all of Kidderminster's DIY / home furnishing shops and not being able to find that white plastic coated metal chord, for hanging net curtains, so I can put some voile up in my spare bedrooms! [How sad is that?]
Grrr-O-Meter Rating: 1/10

6 comments:

Dakota said...

Hey, I know this!! I've read this before, several times before in fact. It's excellent! :)

No white plastic coated metal chord?? That’s strange!

Anonymous said...

Have you tried small hardware shops? They're usually much better stocked than the big chains.

Max said...

Wise words!

Some people hide from the thunderstorms, some people dance in the rain

Phil said...

Dakota:
I thought it had done the rounds yes, but it's still great!
Precisely, it is strange not to stock such an obvious product. My thoughts exactly... ;)

JG:
Good thinking Batman! I'll try Rosebys and Broadhursts in Kiddy!

Max:
Exactly! :-)

Kayla said...

This is lovely!
My first time reading it, Dogga..
Glad you posted it.
Funny the mention about using the crystal glasses every day. I started using the fine china and crystal about 5 years ago any time I had the wild hair to do so!
Don't know why I thought I had to *save* it for a special occasion
=0)

Phil said...

Great post! I don't think I will let the kids use the Waterford crystal just yet, but Dana and I should use it more often. I know how one's life can change in a blink of an eye.