At the end of January, the girls and I went to Hawaii to visit our youngest son and his wife—and their dog. The girls had all kinds of things they wanted to see: the Dole Plantation, attend a luau, Duke’s, hike and see some waterfalls, visit the North Shore, tour Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri, and so many other things, like shopping. Myself, all I truly wanted was a quaint coffee shop where I could sit, relax, sip some coffee, and either read or work on a story. I know, I’m easy to please.
Well, we found one close to our rental called Kai Coffee Shop. It sat right on the beach and I could sit in the shade with a fan blowing on me and work, while the girls laid out on the beach. It was perfect, and while I got my coffee, which was delicious, by the way, the girls bought bottles of water. And I mean bottles, not plastic. The label read Hawaii Volcanic Water in dark blue script, and I simply liked the way it looked. We actually bought about four or five of these glass bottles while we were there, and when it came time to leave, I wasn’t eager to merely toss them in the trash. All right, toss them in the recycle bin. They were sturdy bottles, holding over 26 ounces! They were perfect. So, I packed them and brought them home.
Now, once we were home, one of them sat on the counter for almost a month, no one knowing what to do with it once we were there. Finally, I decided I was tired of just looking at it, so I made sure it was clean and filled it up with water. I’ve been using it ever since, trying to drink four of them each day, and the glass keeps the water fairly cool for the most part.
The other night, as I started to take a big swig, I thought of a blog post I wrote a few years ago, encouraging people to use the China. As I stared at the bottle, I wondered why we were saving it, rather than using it. It’s not like it held any value, and I’m sure it’ll be one of the first things the kids toss if it’s still around when I go to the great writer’s block in the sky. So why not use it?
It’s the same with everything else. I don’t hold onto things with the goal of saving them. I want to enjoy them now. I rip the Funko Pops out of the box and stick them on a shelf. We use the China at meal time, even if it’s a bologna sandwich, and I don’t care if people write in books. Nothing is going to last forever, and what a waste to stick it on a shelf and not truly enjoy it. I don’t pack much away, preferring to display it if at all possible. Who will enjoy that family vase in a box stuffed in the attic? No one!
So, use the China dishes. Drink out of the special glasses. Display your action figures. Open that bottle of champagne simply because it’s Tuesday. Don’t save it for a special occasion because today IS a special occasion. We’re alive. That’s what makes it special. If there’s anything the past couple of years have taught me, is that anything can change on a dime, so stop waiting for tomorrow. Today needs its own excitement and celebration.
Until next time, happy reading!!!
Robbie