I Hope You Dance

[Guest guest]

'I Hope You Dance... 'This was written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend.Dear Bertha,I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring theview without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more timewith my family and friends and less time working.Whenever possible, life should be a pat tern of experiences to savor, not to 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 everyspecial event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or thefirst Amaryllis blossom.I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, Ican shell out $128.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank."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 others would've done had they known they wouldn't be herefor the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would havecalled family members and a few close friends. They might have called a fewformer friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like tothink they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever theirfavorite food was.I'm guessing; I'll never know.It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew myhours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that Iintended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell myhusband and parents 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 lustre to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift.If you received this, it is because someone cares for you. If you're toobusy to take the few minutes that it takes right now to forward this, wouldit be the first time you didn't do the little thing that would make adifference in your relationships? I can tell youit certainly won't be the last."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."Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might aswell dance. I hope you dance.