Grif.Net

03/14/19 Grif.Net – A Story to Live By

03/14/19 Grif.Net – A Story to Live By

My =
brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau and lifted =
out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a =
slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the =
slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of =
lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still =
attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, =
years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. =
Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and =
put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the =
mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he =
slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don’t ever save anything =
for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special =
occasion."

 

I remembered =
those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped =
him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected =
death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from =
the Midwestern town where my sister’s family lives. I thought about all =
the things that she hadn’t seen or heard or done. I thought about the =
things that she had done without realizing that they were =
special.

 

I’m still =
thinking about his words, and they’ve changed my life. I’m reading more =
and dusting less. I’m sitting on the deck 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 in committee meetings. Whenever =
possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not 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, the =
first camellia blossom.

 

I wear my good =
blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look =
prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries =
without wincing. I’m not saving my good perfume for special parties; =
clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function =
as well as my party-going friends’.

 

"Someday&q=
uot; 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 sister would have done had she =
known that she wouldn’t be here for the tomorrow we all take for =
granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close =
friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and =
mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out =
for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I’m guessing-I’ll never =
know.

 

It’s those =
little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my =
hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I =
was going to get in touch with – someday. 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 daughter 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.

 

[credit Ann =
Wells, Los Angeles Times.]

 

Unrelated is =
my own thought to simply add an “Amen” to Ann’s =
story.  As many know, I had a stroke the end of October, and was =
completely paralyzed on my left side. I had peace with God and kissed my =
wife good-bye.  But God gave me a special blessing of more time as =
I walked out of ICU a few days later. This past week I began having =
added symptoms, dizziness, fatigue and sleeping 20+ hours a day  =
Doc/tests show no clue why, but that is now returning to normal for =
which I praise God! Now, every morning is special (even if it is =
afternoon when I wake up).  Each breath is a gift from God. As I =
celebrate my 71st birthday today, I’m not waiting for a =
special occasion to rejoice!  Don’t think I’ve ever had =
Captain Crunch cereal in a glazed porcelain tureen =
before!!

 

~~

Dr Bob Griffin =

[email protected] =
www.grif.net

"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"