I received this via e-mail yesterday. I don’t know if someone really wrote this letter to Bertha or not, or if the author was really 83, or if someone just made up a fantastic letter with a lot of good advice and passed it on. None of that really matters though, because it all seems to hold pretty true. Just thought I would pass it on – it gave me something to think about.
This was written by an 83 year old…The last line says it all.
Dear Bertha,
I’m reading more and dusting less. I’m sitting in the yard 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 working. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern 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 every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom.
I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 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 here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted.
I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.
I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was.
I’m guessing; I’ll never know.
It’s those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. 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 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 luster to our lives.
And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.
I don’t believe in miracles. I rely on them.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.
9 replies on “We Might As Well Dance…”
that’s lovely.
That’s precious.
For those of you…
…who might tell me to save my money *just in case*…read this:
Dear Bertha,
I?m reading more and dusting less. I?m sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I?m spending more time with my fami…
This is certainly a reflection and a time to stop and smell the roses, I’m glad I tell my loved ones everyday how much I love them no matter what!
This is a lovely post. We should all take the time to appreciate what we have and make the most of each day. Unfortunately the pace of modern life means that very few of us seem to do this. As the post says we should also take the time to tell those around us how much we love them… and of course we should make the time to dance!
It’s very moving and somehow sad to me. It feels as though they are things that she regrets more than advice to life. What I mean is that even though on the surface it seems that we should live the moment and what not, she realize this much latter on what I presume is the remainder of her days and wish she did all she said earlier. It is a letter of regret and advice to the living.
she says
“I’m trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them..”
The word now is key in the sentence. She used not to recognize them.
“Angry and sorry that I didn’t tell my husband 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 luster to our lives.”
For me, this is very much proof to the old saying that it is not what you do that you will regret at the end of your life, its what you didn’t do that will haunt you. Thanks for this illuminating post.
It is very touching and you could say that this letter is totally written straight from the heart.
As of our daily activities we find ourselves forgetting the things that makes us a person, as a whole. We try to dwell on the thing that we cant do anything about and things that are very very important to us. As the saying goes, we never know what were missing until its gone. Definitely true..so, better appreciate thing that we still have and grab every moments with it..