“I Use Fine China on Regular Days”

What a beautiful time of year!  Easter, Resurrection Day, Spring time… this time of year brings so much rejuvenation and energy of spending time outdoors and enjoying family and friends. We were having a very small, quaint Easter dinner at my house this year, and my lovely Mom noticed that I was using the fine China (as she calls it) for just five of whom were dining. Mom mentioned that maybe I should just use paper plates and plastic utensils, so clean up would be easier. Now why my Mom would even mention that, I have no clue because she always used “the good stuff” on Sundays and holidays.  When I reminded her of this, of course we proceeded to have dinner on the fine China and nice linen napkins. J

A few years back, I was at the funeral of one of my Mom’s cousins.  She had one of the most inspiring eulogies I had ever heard.  One of the statements that was quoted as one of her life’s mottos was “I always use my fine China and linen napkins even on regular days.”  After hearing this statement that day, I promised myself that I would go home, open my China cabinet, and begin to use all of those lovely dishes of various colors and intricate patterns that I had stored away for “a special day”.  Driving home, I asked myself, what constitutes a special day? Can I even define it? Is it a day that is deemed a holiday? Is it for Sunday only?  I realized then a special day is any day that I woke up to LIVE, LAUGH, and LOVE one more time. 

So many times, we put things(nice dishes, pretty outfits, snazzy shoes, fine jewelry)  away to collect dust, waiting on some special or specific occasion.  I love scented candles. I cannot walk by the Yankee Candle Store or Bath and Body Works without stopping in to smell and purchase new scents that may have come out for the seasons.  It is a simple pleasure that I truly enjoy. In the past, I would just sit the candles on the mantle or shelves in rooms and let them remain unlit and never burned them.  Then I realized; why buy them if I don’t enjoy the smells.  So now I can’t wait to burn those sweet smelling candles at home, in my office, and I think I’d burn them in class while teaching if I thought I could get away with it. J

 

The essence of why I use my fine china and burn those candles is that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. We often put things off that we enjoy to another day when today is the perfect day to experience the beauty of life.   So put that plastic and paper away, dust off that elegant china, light that candle, even wear that nice jewelry, and CELEBRATE! Celebrate what? The very next breath each of us takes is reason to have the biggest and most amazing party of praise and thanks to God.  Celebrate LIFE!  It only happens once.