Around this time of year, some of us start thinking of making special treats for friends and family. We go digging around in the pantry and fridge for ingredients we remember having left over from our last foray into Master Chef mode. Gathering our treasures together, we take a closer look to make sure there’s enough for our recipes and, to casually check the sell-by or expiration dates.
Surprise! The yellow cake mix you forgot to make for Tommy’s tenth birthday is still waiting for you and Tommy, dear boy, is playing on the local high school football team, this, his senior year. The chocolate chips have turned a dusty gray and the raisins are little bits of rock-hard particles, not to mention the marshmallows have turned to dust. Most of the containers on the spice rack could be sold as antiques and the vanilla extract has completely evaporated. The back of the fridge where you haven’t looked in a long time is occupied by totally unidentifiable creatures and the freezer…well, you know. Time to make up a shopping list!
“Use it or lose it!” When I was young, my mother had a set of dishes that I really liked. They were the ones she put out when we had company or family gatherings. They weren’t terribly expensive or anything but they had scalloped edges and pink flowers and just triggered happy thoughts. When I inherited those dishes, I put them in boxes to save for just the right occasion. Years went by and those dishes remained boxed up and after a few moves, some pieces got broken. Nowadays I do bring out those dishes for special occasions except now we don’t have enough plates for everyone in the family. Maybe we would if I had taken them out and used them sooner instead of saving them.
Most things have expiration dates; some are easily visible and some not so visible. Food from the grocery store has dates stamped on the containers. Appliances and vehicles fall apart soon after the warranty runs out. Bubbles don’t last forever in soft drink bottles and summer blossoms fade with the winter cold. Some not so obvious expiration dates involve patience, love, and mortality.
Let’s face it; we are all going to expire! Get over it! As the end of this year rapidly approaches, many of us start regretting what we’ve not accomplished rather than what we have. I coulda! I shoulda! I didn’t! Too late now! I regret it! I’m useless!
We are guaranteed the moment we are in, nothing more. What we do with that moment is up to each of us. We can regret the past or be optimistic about the future. It’s never too late to put aside former differences or strained relationships; sometimes a simple, “I’m sorry,” can heal old wounds. If not, at least you tried. Maybe it is time to learn a new skill, include new friends into your life, write a book or paint a picture. Look ahead in your life! Be wild and crazy!
When your expiration date comes up, make sure it can be said that every bit of you was appreciated and savored.
Sharon
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