Cherish every moment
<p><span word="My">My</span> <span word="brother">brother</span>-<span word="in">in</span>-<span word="law">law</span> <span word="opened">opened</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="bottom">bottom</span> <span word="drawer">drawer</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="sister">sister</span>\'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="bureau">bureau</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="lifted">lifted</span> <span word="out">out</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="tissue">tissue</span>-<span word="wrapped">wrapped</span> <span word="package">package</span>. <span word="This">This</span>, <span word="he">he</span> <span word="said">said</span>, <span word="is">is</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="slip">slip</span>. <span word="This">This</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="lingerie">lingerie</span>. <span word="He">He</span> <span word="discarded">discarded</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="tissue">tissue</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="handed">handed</span> <span word="me">me</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="slip">slip</span>. <span word="It">It</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="exquisite">exquisite</span>1; <span word="silk">silk</span>, <span word="handmade">handmade</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="trimmed">trimmed</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="cobweb">cobweb</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="lace">lace</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="price">price</span> <span word="tag">tag</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="astronomical">astronomical</span>2 <span word="figure">figure</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="still">still</span> <span word="attached">attached</span>. <span word="Jan">Jan</span> <span word="bought">bought</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="first">first</span> <span word="time">time</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="went">went</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="New">New</span> <span word="York">York</span>, <span word="at">at</span> <span word="least">least</span> 8 <span word="or">or</span> 9 <span word="years">years</span> <span word="ago">ago</span>. <span word="She">She</span> <span word="never">never</span> <span word="wore">wore</span> <span word="it">it</span>. <span word="She">She</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="saving">saving</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="special">special</span> <span word="occasion">occasion</span>. <span word="Well">Well</span>, <span word="I">I</span> <span word="guess">guess</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="occasion">occasion</span>. <span word="He">He</span> <span word="took">took</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="slip">slip</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="me">me</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="put">put</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="bed">bed</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="other">other</span> <span word="clothes">clothes</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="taking">taking</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="mortician">mortician</span>. <span word="His">His</span> <span word="hands">hands</span> <span word="lingered">lingered</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="soft">soft</span> <span word="material">material</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="moment">moment</span>, <span word="then">then</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="slammed">slammed</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="drawer">drawer</span> <span word="shut">shut</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="turned">turned</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="me">me</span>. <span word="Don">Don</span>\'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="ever">ever</span> <span word="save">save</span> <span word="anything">anything</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="special">special</span> <span word="occasion">occasion</span>. <span word="Every">Every</span> <span word="day">day</span> <span word="you">you</span>\'<span word="re">re</span> <span word="alive">alive</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="special">special</span> <span word="occasion">occasion</span>.<span word="I">I</span> <span word="remembered">remembered</span> <span word="those">those</span> <span word="words">words</span> <span word="through">through</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="funeral">funeral</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="days">days</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="followed">followed</span> <span word="when">when</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="helped">helped</span> <span word="him">him</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="niece">niece</span> <span word="attend">attend</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="all">all</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="sad">sad</span> <span word="chores">chores</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="follow">follow</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="unexpected">unexpected</span> <span word="death">death</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="thought">thought</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="them">them</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="plane">plane</span> <span word="returning">returning</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="California">California</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Midwestern">Midwestern</span> <span word="town">town</span> <span word="where">where</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="sister">sister</span>\'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="family">family</span> <span word="lives">lives</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="thought">thought</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="all">all</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="things">things</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="hadn">hadn</span>\'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="seen">seen</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="heard">heard</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="done">done</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="thought">thought</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="things">things</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="had">had</span> <span word="done">done</span> <span word="without">without</span> <span word="realizing">realizing</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="special">special</span>.<span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="still">still</span> <span word="thinking">thinking</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="words">words</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="they">they</span>\'<span word="ve">ve</span> <span word="changed">changed</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="life">life</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="reading">reading</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="dusting">dusting</span> <span word="less">less</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="sitting">sitting</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="deck">deck</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="admiring">admiring</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="view">view</span> <span word="without">without</span> <span word="fussing">fussing</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="weeds">weeds</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="garden">garden</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="spending">spending</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="time">time</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="family">family</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="friends">friends</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="less">less</span> <span word="time">time</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="committee">committee</span> <span word="meetings">meetings</span>. <span word="Whenever">Whenever</span> <span word="possible">possible</span>, <span word="life">life</span> <span word="should">should</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="pattern">pattern</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="experience">experience</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="savor">savor</span>3, <span word="not">not</span> <span word="endure">endure</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="recognize">recognize</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="moments">moments</span> <span word="now">now</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="cherish">cherish</span> <span word="them">them</span>.<span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="saving">saving</span> <span word="anything">anything</span>. <span word="we">we</span> <span word="use">use</span> <span word="our">our</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="china">china</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="crystal">crystal</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="every">every</span> <span word="special">special</span> <span word="event">event</span>-<span word="such">such</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="losing">losing</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="pound">pound</span>, <span word="getting">getting</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="sink">sink</span> <span word="unstopped">unstopped</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="first">first</span> <span word="camellia">camellia</span> <span word="blossom">blossom</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="wear">wear</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="blazer">blazer</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="market">market</span> <span word="if">if</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="feel">feel</span> <span word="like">like</span> <span word="it">it</span>. <span word="My">My</span> <span word="theory">theory</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="if">if</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="look">look</span> <span word="prosperous">prosperous</span>, <span word="I">I</span> <span word="can">can</span> <span word="shell">shell</span> <span word="out">out</span> $28.49 <span word="for">for</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="small">small</span> <span word="bag">bag</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="groceries">groceries</span> <span word="without">without</span> <span word="wincing">wincing</span>4. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="saving">saving</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="perfume">perfume</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="special">special</span> <span word="parties">parties</span>; <span word="clerks">clerks</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="hardware">hardware</span> <span word="stores">stores</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="tellers">tellers</span>5 <span word="in">in</span> <span word="banks">banks</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="noses">noses</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="function">function</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="well">well</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="party">party</span>-<span word="going">going</span> <span word="friends">friends</span>\'.<span word="Someday">Someday</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="days">days</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="losing">losing</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="grip">grip</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="vocabulary">vocabulary</span>. <span word="If">If</span> <span word="it">it</span>\'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="worth">worth</span> <span word="seeing">seeing</span> , <span word="hearing">hearing</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="doing">doing</span>, <span word="I">I</span> <span word="want">want</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="see">see</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="hear">hear</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="do">do</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="now">now</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="sure">sure</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="sister">sister</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="done">done</span>, <span word="had">had</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="known">known</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="wouldn">wouldn</span>\'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="here">here</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="tomorrow">tomorrow</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="all">all</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="granted">granted</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="think">think</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="called">called</span> <span word="family">family</span> <span word="members">members</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="few">few</span> <span word="close">close</span> <span word="friends">friends</span>. <span word="She">She</span> <span word="might">might</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="called">called</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="few">few</span> <span word="former">former</span> <span word="friends">friends</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="apologize">apologize</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="mend">mend</span> <span word="fences">fences</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="past">past</span> <span word="squabbles">squabbles</span>. <span word="I">I</span> <span word="like">like</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="think">think</span> <span word="she">she</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="gone">gone</span> <span word="out">out</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="Chinese">Chinese</span> <span word="dinner">dinner</span>, <span word="her">her</span> <span word="favorite">favorite</span> <span word="food">food</span>. <span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="guessing">guessing</span>--<span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="ll">ll</span> <span word="never">never</span> <span word="know">know</span>.<span word="It">It</span>\'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="those">those</span> <span word="little">little</span> <span word="things">things</span> <span word="left">left</span> <span word="undone">undone</span>6 <span word="that">that</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="make">make</span> <span word="me">me</span> <span word="angry">angry</span> ,<span word="if">if</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="knew">knew</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="hours">hours</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="limited">limited</span>. <span word="Angry">Angry</span> <span word="because">because</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="put">put</span> <span word="off">off</span> <span word="seeing">seeing</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="friends">friends</span> <span word="whom">whom</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="going">going</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="get">get</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="touch">touch</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="someday">someday</span>. <span word="Angry">Angry</span> <span word="because">because</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="hadn">hadn</span>\'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="written">written</span> <span word="certain">certain</span> <span word="letters">letters</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="intended">intended</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="write">write</span>--<span word="one">one</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="days">days</span>. <span word="Angry">Angry</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="sorry">sorry</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="didn">didn</span>\'<span word="t">t</span> <span word="tell">tell</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="husband">husband</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="daughter">daughter</span> <span word="often">often</span> <span word="enough">enough</span> <span word="how">how</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="truly">truly</span> <span word="love">love</span> <span word="them">them</span>.<span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="m">m</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="very">very</span> <span word="hard">hard</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="put">put</span> <span word="off">off</span>, <span word="hold">hold</span> <span word="back">back</span>, <span word="or">or</span> <span word="save">save</span> <span word="anything">anything</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="add">add</span> <span word="laughter">laughter</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="luster">luster</span>7 <span word="to">to</span> <span word="our">our</span> <span word="lives">lives</span>.<span word="And">And</span> <span word="every">every</span> <span word="morning">morning</span> <span word="when">when</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="open">open</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="eyes">eyes</span>, <span word="I">I</span> <span word="tell">tell</span> <span word="myself">myself</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="special">special</span>. <span word="Every">Every</span> <span word="day">day</span>, <span word="every">every</span> <span word="minute">minute</span>, <span word="every">every</span> <span word="breath">breath</span> <span word="truly">truly</span> <span word="is">is</span> ... <span word="a">a</span> <span word="gift">gift</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="God">God</span>. </p>
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