The point of this article is to ring a few bells - and advise you that you only have one life to live - and that life is here and now! Stop saving things for a rainy day - or for when guests come. You are the guest. You are the guest in your life. Enjoy what you have - don't hoard or wait for a 'better' time; The time is now. Life is now. You are in the NOW. Live it like it's your last day on earth. There may never be a next holiday - or next birthday - or another tomorrow, for that matter. Stop saving your 'good' china for a rainy day.

Nothing is promised to us - not even the next five minutes! We assume we are going to be here; A day will come which will be our rude awakening. Hopefully, we will have used our good china many times over before that day arrives -- as well as our good blankets, sheets, clothes; also, hopefully shared our 'toys'; been there for our family and friends;

Not to mention the most important thing that we can do --- make amends with loved ones;

I read something recently which said that whatever we undertake in life, we should always live our lives "impeccably". This choice of words absolutely intrigued me - and it made so much sense to me.

If you are going to undertake something - do that thing to the very best of your ability - this is what builds character and shows that you have integrity. This holds true for even the tiniest of chores. Handle all of your 'things' with care. Take pride in all that you do. Do things with love.

I watched a friend of mine do her dishes one day - I mean, really watched. I saw what great care she took to lather and scrub each and every dish and cup. She then meticulously scrubbed the sink and faucet. When she walked away from the sink, everything was gleaming. It actually gave me a good feeling! Imagine that!?! it trickled down to me, an observer, seeing how she took the time to devote to even the most minute chore - to do it to the best of her ability - to do a job well done. It made me want to take the same care and pains to do any and all of my chores the same way. It gives one such a good feeling - a feeling of accomplishment. It's all in how you perceive things - you can either enjoy what you're doing - or dread it, the choice is yours.

I experienced the same thing when a former boyfriend of mine would wash down his boat after we came back from a day out on the water. He took his time and took great pains to make sure he washed all the salt water off of it completely. He took such good care of everything he owned - his car was always washed and clean, immaculate inside and out - the same with anything else he owned - everything clean and tidy. He was very organized and methodical in taking care of all his things; (Today he has achieved one of the highest ranks for a Black Belt in Karate - and from what I understand he has been bestowed the title of 'Sensei' after over 30 years learning, teaching, experiencing/mastering his first love, Karate).

This type of responsibleness and devotion to detail builds character. That is why I always admired people who undertook every little chore with such focus, passion and tenaciousness.

When you undertake things in this way it really creates a great sense of well being - it cannot be described unless you experience it for yourself. Instead of dreading what it is you need to do - get emotionally involved, if that makes sense, and do it with kid gloves, so to speak, enjoying whatever it is you are doing at the time - even the most mundane of chores. Devote yourself to the task until you have seen it through to its' completion - immerse yourself. Then go to your next task, and so on....you will begin to see things differently, and possibly even look forward to doing them.

I can equate this feeling to when you had a favorite dish that your Mother maybe used to make - it was made WITH LOVE - with that same care and feeling - and because of that, it truly tasted better. The minute your Mother started making that dish, and the aroma filled the house, it gave you a sense of well-being that is hard to compare to anything else. She put her whole self into that dish, her heart and soul, and you 'felt' it. Later on in life when I was married with my daughter - my Mother would remind me that the aroma from cooking is very therapeutic for whatever is ailing you. I'd usually always have something simmering on the stove - fresh, homemade chicken soup, one of my specialties, warms the cockels of the heart!

When a company I worked for moved from Long Island, NY to Manhattan - they wanted me to go with them - I was wracking my brain trying to figure out if I should go or change jobs and stay on Long Island. The day came when my boss called me into his office for my decision - but before I could say a word, he made me an offer I could not refuse - the money he offered me was phenomenal for a gal who had no college background. I was an Executive Secretary and it felt rewarding to be so valued by my superiors. I decided I was up to the challenge of a 2 hour commute each way to work every day - and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life - I wound up making more money in those five years than I could have ever imagined! plus, huge bonuses every Christmas - and my company even bought me a new car!

I hope you are living YOUR life IMPECCABLY! You will experience such rewards when you do....

Please drop me a line with any thoughts you might have - or questions. I love hearing from my readers. I thrive on your feedback!