“I’m saving it for a special occasion.”
When I was younger, my grandmother had a beautiful parlor. It wasn’t big, but it was beautiful. Everything was over the top.
Grandma had grown up in a poor home, and her parlor was her pride and joy. It had beautiful, rich, light carpet that complemented beautiful white couches. Luxurious material draped the windows large windows. Collections that Grandpa had brought back from around the world were displayed throughout the room.
As one of the grandchildren, I crossed the threshold to parlor once a year to have my picture taken with my family on the white couches at Christmas. As I entered my teen years and improved in my music skill, I was privileged to be allowed in a few more times per year to play piano. If I asked permission on the right day, Grandma would let me play on her grand piano.
All that changed after the hail storm.
A huge piece of hail — the biggest I’ve ever seen in my lifetime — shattered the large picture window. Everything was ruined in the storm! The carpet had to be replaced. New couches were purchased. Actually, only one: a big sectional.
My grandparents decided to build an extension to the house after the storm. With it came with two new recliners for “their majesty’s” as the new addition enabled them to host their ever growing family on the holidays in one room. Furniture was a lot more relaxed and flexible. The piano stayed but it never sounded the same.
That room had been saved for special occasions, and because of that, it was used very little before it was unable to be used at all. It’s easy for me to look back and see tragedy in that situation.
What if Grandma had hosted more things with us in that room? Yes, the carpet and the couches would have inevitably shown the effects of more traffic. Something might would have been broken along the way. But her grandchildren’s memories? They would remember her delighting in them by sharing her favorite room instead of a room. They would have special memories from inside the room instead of peeking in at the threshold to talk to their parents sitting in the forbidden room.
Chances are, we would grieved alongside her when it was destroyed. But we didn’t.
As for the downgraded house addition? I have many happy family memories (and pictures!) from that room. I remember walking into the house and knowing exactly where to find Grandpa and Grandma.
Like my grandmother’s parlor, too often we save things for special occasions until it’s too late. But what if made today special? Just because.
Today’s challenge today is just that:
Make today special.
Just because.
Consider this quote from a 60-year-old after the pandemic:
“I turned 60 in the middle of a long lockdown. Confined at home, I looked around at all the things I’d been saving “for good” and I decided that Good Has Arrived. For the rest of the pandemic, we used the Good china, the Good silver, and we dressed up for dinner by candlelight (the Good candles, of course). I wore my Good jewelry for virtual meetings, and when we were allowed back in the office, I wore my Good shoes every day. The compliments and connections that followed were amazing – and it turns out that wearing my Good clothes is just plain fun. Good Has Arrived, and life is Good.” (@namirra1256, “Is the Cure for Loneliness Hiding in Your Closet?” YouTube)
Stop saving for an unknown day in the future. Celebrate life today!
Today is a gift because it is the present!!
Celebrate life today!
Questions? Email fitnessatbodymoves@gmail.com or call 319-337-4777.
Find us on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM.