Got This E-Mail from My Father-in-Law

**AmyBoz** · 02-12-2009, 07:35 PM

Thought it was too good not to share.

> 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 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 favorite 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.

**freebs** · 02-12-2009, 07:50 PM

soo true, my brother was 19 when he was killed in a car wreck, i was talking to him 20 minutes before he left, then the next thing i know he is gone

**khjmom** · 02-12-2009, 08:39 PM

Thanks sharing this. I have lost an aunt almost a year ago who taught me this lesson. We are trying more and more to celebrate each day instead of waiting for someday.

**heartofmine** · 02-12-2009, 08:56 PM

My sil lived her entire life doing without the things she needed let alone wanted. She would go to Pizza Hut and buy one slice of pizza. She's have a ziplock bag with her and fill it full of Parmesan cheest to take home. Go to McDonald's and buy a $1.00 burger and a glass of water. When she left she'd grab handfuls of ketchup, straws, napkins etc. to take with her. She was about as miserly as you can get. Not thrifty...but miserly. She saved a small fortune in her 53 years. 10 months ago she took a gun and shot herself in the chest and died instantly. We have yet to go through all her belongs. Not ready just yet plus my fil is elderly and it would upset him. What we have seen though is gifts people have gotten her still in the boxes for "someday." New clothing with tags that she bought on final clearance dirt cheap ...for "someday." One of those being her funeral attire. A small fortune in the bank for "someday." One of the most beautiful properties that 'someday" she was going to build a new house on. Her and I talked many an hour about the log cabin home she wanted to build. Yet none of it made her happy and so she took "someday" away by her own hand. Its heartbreaking and sad and none of us will ever understand or ever have answers.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 02-13-2009, 12:50 AM

What a beautiful poem (for lack of a better word.) Makes you stop and think about life, eh?

**Dutchie** · 02-13-2009, 01:24 AM

Please believe me when I say - this is what I needed to read today.
Thank you for posting it.

**mamamia** · 03-13-2009, 01:03 AM

Bumping this because I thought this one should come back to the top for anybody who mighta missed it, or anyone who needs to see
it again.

With so many having hard times, financially and otherwise, it's a great reminder of just how fragile human life really is, and that we should live for everyday and all it's blessings. It surely keeps the importance of things in perspective, doesn't it? After all, we've all lost loved ones, and I think most of us has said to ourselves that we wished we did this, or did that while that one was still with us.

I hope I'll be one who takes the time out from useless worry that robs me of precious time, and remember to stay in closer contact with the ones who I love. For those who I do have closer to me, I hope I cultivate our relationships with more time and attention. Oh, and a few extra hugs and kisses never hurt anyone either!

Thanks Amy! This really was a touching post

Theresa

**2ndGenGranola** · 03-13-2009, 04:43 AM

This reminded me of when we were going through my Moms things after she died. We found all kinds of perfumes and little pretties waiting for "someday". That was kind of hard seeing. Much of the stuff had to be thrown out. Perfumed lotions just don't wait for someday.