Greetings All ~
I am so, so lucky. I have beautiful things. I love beautiful things. It's the double Taurus in me. Some were inherited, some were given to me and others were purchased by me.
For instance, I have a kickin' set of china. I purchased it some years ago when I became the hostess for the West Coast branch of the family holiday dinners. Those dinners were a minimum of 10 people but could top off at 20. So I bought a bunch of the stuff. It was the china for "special" occasions.
I say 'was' because I've decided now to use the good china on a daily basis. Any meal can be presented as an occasion to acknowledge this lifetime's prosperity. If I don't acknowledge that, who will? With this awareness, I have found various other things in the same category hanging around. There are the lovely rose bath and essential oils from a dear friend and colleague, and rose facial cleanser from another. There they sit, unused, waiting for me to find the right time, that "special" occasion for their use. I'm going to use them now. I'm going to use all my "good stuff" now.
When were we kids, our mom would buy us "good" shoes and "good" dresses. We outgrew them before before we finished with them. They weren't used enough. We didn't wear our "good" stuff to school. But I wanted to feel good in those fancy velvet shoes on the playground—not just at church. Nor did we use some of our dishes or flatware daily. It was for company. My family had the middle class means to differentiate. I understand the thinking. Some things could get spoiled with daily use—their value deserved that they be handled with care (which, I suppose, meant less). Some of those things have been handed down throughout the family, and they're still not being used with regularity. Is it a waste in the name of preservation?
I could say that I paid a lot of money for that china; I'm going to keep it, save it, preserve it. On the other hand, why not get the best bang for my buck and use it? The china was bought for its beauty. I've brought it out! The rosy gifts were given as treats for me. And why shouldn't I be treated? I can honor the generosity and spirit in which they were given by actually putting them to use. I smell really good now!
Don't sequester things that are beautiful only for that special occasion. Use them for yourself! Treat yourself as the guest of honor. Surround yourself with the best you have. As Oprah asked, "What are you waiting for?"
All Good Things,
Vicky Rose