Today

When I was about six, a relative brought me a present of some little dolls made of soap. They were about four inches tall and there were six or eight of them lined up in a rectangular box. They were adorable. They even had detailed clothes, eyes and hair. I loved them and couldn’t wait to use them in my next bath. “They’re too cute to use right now,” my mother said. “You should save them for a special time.” So I put them in a cupboard, waiting for whenever that special time might happen. After several days I forgot all about them. A year or so later I was delighted to discover the box and decided there wasn’t going to be a time better than the present one. But when I opened the box, their features had melted. The dolls looked like pitiful globs of wax and I threw them away. When I think now about those darn little soap dolls I want to say: Wear the things you’ve been saving for a special occasion. Wear them to clean the house if you feel like it. Chow down on the decorated cookies or hor d’oevres that look too pretty to be eaten. Gobble them and smile while you do it. Don’t hang that handmade quilt on the wall. Use it. Stop and smell the roses, yes. But pick some of them to bring into the house and put in a vase. Today’s as special as any other day is likely to be and you never know. You might not get another.

Picture courtesy Syaibatulhamdi at Pixabay.com