Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Return-path: <VickyR96@aol.com>
From: VickyR96@aol.com
Full-name: VickyR96
Message-ID: <4d.27b7d7b.272705ba@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 11:33:14 EDT
Subject: Friendship
To: FF1052@aol.com, Samoa4188@aol.com, Ute_Ihnat@jafra.com, 
karann@earthlink.net, Pene5617@aol.com
X-Mailer: Windows AOL sub 125
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Disposition: inline


>>>
>>> > > Subject: FRIENDSHIP
>>>  > > THIS IS TRULY WORTH TAKING A MOMENT TO READ---
>>>  > > FRIENDSHIP.....
>>>  > >
>>>  > > 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'm still thinking about his words, and they've
>>>  > > changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less.
>>>  > > I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view
>>>  > > without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm
>>>  > > 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 endure. I'm trying to
>>>  > > recognize these moments now and cherish them.
>>>  > > I'm 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. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel
>>>  > > like it. 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 and daughter often enough how
>>>  > > much I truly love them. 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 every day, every minute, every breath
>>>  > > truly is...a gift.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > If you've received this it is because someone
>>>  > > cares for you. If you're too busy to take the few
>>>  > > minutes that it would take right now to forward this
>>>  > > to ten people, would it be the first time you didn't do
>>>  > > that little thing that would make a difference in
>>>  > > your relationship. I can tell you it certainly won't
>>>  > > be the last.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > Take a few minutes to send this to a few people
>>>  > > you care about, just to let them know that you're
>>>  > > thinking of them. May love litter your life with
>>>  > > blessings.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother
>>>  > > who gave birth to a premature baby.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor
>>>  > > of a weekly newspaper.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers
>>>  > > who are waiting to meet.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person
>>>  > > who missed the train.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE-SECOND, ask a person
>>>  > > who just avoided an accident.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the
>>>  > > person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > Treasure every moment that you have!
>>>  > > Yesterday is history.
>>>  > > Tomorrow is mystery.
>>>  > > Today is a gift.
>>>  > > That's why it's called the present!!
>>>  > >
>>>  > > It's National Friendship Week.
>>>  > > Show your friends how much you care... Send this
>>>  > > to everyone you consider A FRIEND.
>>>  > > If it comes back to you, then you'll know you
>>>  > > have a circle of
>>>  > > Friends.
>>>  > >
>>>  > > HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK!!!!
>>>
>>>