SOMETHING TO REMEMBER THIS CHRISTMAS

I wanted to share this with you at Christmas because it reminds us all that we should 'never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion'. Remember that each day, each hour, each minute, is special. Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

"A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a paper-wrapped package: 'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.' He unwrapped the box and stared at both the 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 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 understand 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 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. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special. Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one."

If you are reading this at Christmas, you might want to send this on to someone special. If you're too busy to send it and you say to yourself that you will send it 'one day' , remember that 'one day' is far away, and might never come. Whatever you do, spend some time reading it because it holds important messages for all of us.