Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Why Wait?

I was given a set of wine glasses when I turned 21 by my Aunty Helen.  They're hand-turned, blue/green at the base and gorgeous!  I love them.  But I've been waiting for the right occasion - the right time - to use them.  And until around this time last year, I didn't.  So, I pulled them down from the high shelf in the cupboard, washed them until they sparkled and used them.  I was 37 years old; and I waited all that time to use these glasses.  

And why did I wait for so long?  I'm not sure.

Why do we wait until the right time to use the beautiful things that sit in our cupboards and in our china cabinets?  Why is the family china sitting in its box still - unused - all because we're scared one piece might be dropped and broken?  There are people out there who have had complete sets of things in their cupboards and wardrobes and have never used them because they might break them; and they grew old waiting for the right time, the right occasion, the right place, the right people or the right night to use them... but that time never came.  The occasion never happened and they grew old and passed away only to have their family pull the box out of the closets and cupboards, never knowing they were there and wondering why these things never got used.  It's sad really; and not something we should leave to chance.
Since cleaning out my kitchen, I have found I brought out a set of plates from hiding; all because I was waiting for the right time to use them.  So, what I did was:  I washed them all and put them with the other white dinner plates to be used every day.  They are my Nan's plates; and I don't wish for them to go to waste all due to me waiting for the right time.  I did the same with two sets of glasses I found in a cupboard above my stove.  They were from the 70's and 80's and they are beautiful; but I never used them.  So, down they came, got washed up and now I used them all the time.  Not only have I saved myself a lot of money in replacing the old ones I was going to replace, but I also found some lovely glasses that didn't cost me a thing!  How cool is that!
So, why do we wait for the right time to use things.  I have clothes in my wardrobe that I have bought; and believe me, I have worn every single piece of it!  I find that if I don't wear the clothes, I end up giving it away.  It's the same with my shoes.  I don't have a lot of shoes; but the ones I do have all get worn - and worn well.  
I play all of my music, watch all my dvds, read as many books as I can and use all my perfume and use all my make-up, hair products and soaps people give me.  I don't wait for the right time to use these things; as there is no right time.  The time is now... we are alive here and now to use what we have in our lives; so why not enjoy what we have in our homes and lives right now?
When my Grandmothers passed away, I found each of them had kept some toiletries I brought back from the UK for them.  The whole pack - one of them was of rose, the other lavender I had bought specifically from The Chester Circle - were all still together with not a thing used out of them.  I found it kind of sad that they didn't use them and wondered if they didn't like the souvenirs; however when I asked, Mum told me Nan wanted to wait for the right time to use the products.  I never found out why Grandma didn't use hers.  But within months, we had used the products and they were lovely on our skin; the scent not too bad either.

Recently, my Uncle passed away.  He lived life to the fullest and wasn't all that old when he left us from Prostate Cancer.  He had travelled all over the world, owned a good collection of cars, vinyls, books, booze and knew how to throw a great party at his house in Holland Park West here in Brisbane.  He totally enjoyed life and squeezed every atom of it out of this one he was given; and he will be missed by us all.
I don't wish to miss out on anything in my life.  In recent years, I've become a little more spontaneous and gone out on a whim, enjoyed playing music at night instead of watching the same old television shows.  I've stayed up and read a good book way past midnight - just because I want to know what happens next.  Life is definitely for living.  And our good things that are locked away in our cupboards and closets which are kept safe because we think we might break them were purchased to be used.  So, go and get out that nice bone china tea set and make some tea; just for the heck of it... because it's nice to drink out of something damn fine; not because you're terrified you'll break it, but because it's there to be drunk from.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

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