Fw: WOODROW CLASSMATES - Take Time . .

[Guest guest]

There is so much truth & beauty in the following. I hope you enjoy this as

much as I did, and take it very seriously!

Blessings,

MM / NSIF

Martha Murdock, Director

National Silicone Implant Foundation

Dallas, Texas Headquarters

----- Original Message -----

From: " Sue Brown " <owbrown@...>

" Tribble " <elt222@...>; " Bragg and Judy Stockton "

<coach6judy@...>; " Orman Puckett " <opuckett@...>; " H.

Jarrell Gibbs " <jandcg@...>; " K Fagin " <DKFAGIN@...>; " Don

Alvin Chappell " <armadillo@...>; " Ray Weed "

<allen@...>; " Avis Tieber son " <ATJ2451@...>; " Barbara

Byrd on " <Barbara_on@...>; " Barbara "

<barbaubles@...>; " Don Carl " <dcsconsult@...>; " Forrestine

Feezor White " <fwhite12@...>; " Glenn & nell "

<glennmar65@...>; " Jere and Carol Dillon " <dilljer61@...>;

" Jerry & Markowich " <markowic@...>; " Sue son Willman "

<suewillman@...>; " Jinksie DeHay Patton "

<jpatton@...>; " C. W. & Marita Kendall, Jr. " <cw@...>;

" Grace Houston " <MamaMuff@...>; " Olin & Sue Brown "

<owbrown@...>; " Carol Gray " <pomegranate10@...>; " Laverne

Tittle Smotherman " <smotherman@...>; " Burton & Suzie Gilliam "

<maillig@...>; " " <dccgsc611@...>; " Shirley

Sandkuhl Burns " <ShrlBurns@...>; " Dick Ingram " <jri0598@...>; " Fred

L Gharis " <easyd@...>; " Martha Ann Murdock " <mam-nsif@...>;

" Danny Chapman " <dchapman@...>; " Boyce P Farrar "

<bpfarrar@...>; " Terry Peake " <terry.peake@...>; " Ace Owens "

<ace_owens@...>; " Dolores Rosenberg " <dolrogers@...>;

" Dave " <Snafu228@...>; " Jim Burdette " <jim.burdette@...>;

" Ken Lamar Malone " <Klmalone@...>; " Clayton Hicks "

<james_l_hicks@...>; " Shirley Edmundson Soward "

<Shirley_Soward@...>

Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 11:08 PM

Subject: WOODROW CLASSMATES - Take Time . .

> From Olin and Sue Brown -

> forwarded to me by a former business colleague -

>

> > > Subject: Take time

> > >

> > > My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and

> > > lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. " This, " he said, " is not a slip.

> > > This is lingerie. " He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.

It

> > > was exquisite; silk, handmade and

> > > trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical

> figure

> > > on it was still attached. " Jan bought this the first time we went to

New

> > > York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it

> for

> > > a special occasion.

> > >

> > > Well, I guess this is the occasion. " He took the slip from me and put

> it

> > > on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.

His

> > > hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the

> > > drawer shut and turned to me.

> > > " Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're

> alive

> > > is a special occasion. "

> > >

> > > I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that

followed

> > > when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that

follow

> an

> > > unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to

> > > California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I

> > > thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I

> > > thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they

> > > were special.

> > >

> > > I am still thinking about his words, and they have changed my life. I

> am

> > > reading more and dusting less. I am sitting on the deck and admiring

> the

> > > view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I am spending

more

> > > time with my family

> > > and friends and less time in committee meetings.

> > >

> > > Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor,

not

> to

> > > endure. I am trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I

> > > am not " saving " anything: we use our good china and crystal for every

> > > special event - such

> > > as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia

> blossom.

> > > If we break something, we can say it was " well used " and then laugh

> about

> > > it. I wear my good blazer to the market if I want to. My theory is if

I

> > > look prosperous, I can shell

> > > out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not

> saving

> > > my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and

> tellers

> > > in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.

> > > " Someday " and " one of these days " are losing their grip on my

> vocabulary.

> > > If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and

do

> it

> > > now. I'm not sure what my sister would've done had she known that she

> > > wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she

> > > would have called family members and a few close friends. She might

have

> > > called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past

> > > squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese

> dinner,

> > > her favorite food. I'm guessing - I'll never know.

> > >

> > > It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I

knew

> > > that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good

friends

> > > whom I was going to get in touch with - someday. Angry because I

hadn't

> > > written certain letters that I

> > > intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't

tell

> > > my husband often enough how much I truly love him. I'm trying very

hard

> > > not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter

and

> > > luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell

> myself

> > > that it is special. Every day, very minute, every breath truly is a

> gift

> > > from

> > > God. You've got to dance like nobody's watching, and love like it's

> never

> > > going to hurt .... " People say true friends must always hold hands,

> but

> > > true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand

> > > will always be there. "

>

>

>