Make Every Day a Special Occasion

Isn`t it funny how in life we have that room in the house we keep everyone out of in order to save it for that “special occasion”, or the china plates that we only eat from on a “special occasion”, or the towels in the bathroom that can only be used on a “special occasion”. Today I have decided that from now on I want to live my life as if every day is a “special occasion”, because – IT IS!

I came across a fantastic story that helps drive this message of living every day to the fullest:

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.”
Every day in your life is a special occasion”.
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 placed the gift box on the bed next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral home; 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 to, 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 no one 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 favorite 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, letters that I wanted to write “one of these days”.

I would regret and feel sad, because I didn’t say to my brother and sisters, son and daughters, 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.

—————

Decide to live your life from now on as if every day is a special occasion!

~Amy

 

4 Comments

  • Bruna Brown says:

    Wow!! Great Article Amy!!
    I need to remember this every single day, and i will live by it!!

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  • Shirley Asafo-Boakye says:

    This story has really changed my attitude. I use my best china daily. I don’t save anything because every day is a gift from God.

  • Jim Palmiter says:

    I am including a copy of this story in a very special 4 year old’s birthday gift. I hope it puts things in perspective for him when he can truly understand it. I am 73 years old and am slowly sending him things I have had for decades just because if i played with them they might get broke. I so regret not enjoying them when i should have. I now realize they are only things.

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