Mybrother-in-lawopenedthebottomdrawerofmysister’sbureauandliftedoutatissue-wrappedpackage.“This，” hesaid， “.” ； silk， .“JanboughtthisthefirsttimewewenttoNewYork， ， Iguessthisistheoccasion.” ， thenheslammedthedrawershutandturnedtome.“Don’’realiveisaspecialoccasion.”
’’.
I’mstillthinkingabouthiswords， andthey’vechangedmylife.I’mreadingmoreanddustingless.I’msittingonthedeckandadmiringtheviewwithoutfussingabouttheweedsinthegarden.I’， lifeshouldbeapatternofexperiencetosavor， notendure.I’mtryingtorecognizethesemomentsnowandcherishthem.
I’mnot “saving” anything； weuseourgoodchinaandcrystalforeveryspecialevent—suchaslosingapound， gettingthesinkunstopped， ， Icanshellout $28.49foronesmallbagofgrocerieswithoutwincing.I’ mnotsavingmygoodperfumeforspecialparties； clerksinhardwarestoresandtellersinbankshavenosesthatfunctionaswellasmyparty-goingfriends’.
“Someday” and “oneofthesedays” ’sworthseeingorhearingordoing， Iwanttoseeandhearanddoitnow.I’mnotsurewhatmysisterwouldhavedonehadsheknownthatshewouldn’， herfavoritefood.I’mguessing—I’llneverknow.
It’ “someday”.AngrybecauseIhadn’twrittencertainlettersthatIintendedtowrite — ’ttellmyhusbandanddaughteroftenenoughhowmuchItrulylovethem.
I’mtryingveryhardnottoputoff， holdback， orsaveanythingthatwouldaddlaughterandlustertoourlives.
AndeverymorningwhenIopenmyeyes， ， everyminute， everybreathtrulyis...agiftfromGod.
