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Wear the Pearls

 It's funny, how little things can trigger big emotions.  I see it all the time in our kids.  The wrong eating utensil causes earth shattering meltdowns.  A new tool brings uncontainable joy and has to be shared with every person - friend or stranger - who dares to make eye contact.  A wrong, real or imagined, triggers the red rage.  Sometimes we see the emotion coming and sometimes we are blindsided by it.  

Today I was blindsided by my own emotions.  To be honest, I don't know exactly where it came from - maybe something I heard or something I read.  But the realization was this: life is precious and often shorter than expected.  Do the things.  Do the things you've been waiting to do, wanting to do, thinking about doing.  

I'm not talking about taking extreme measures.  I won't be going on any extravagant vacations or having any mid-life escapades.  That doesn't even sound enticing.  But, I am going to wear my pearls.  I think they are beautiful, and I never wear them.  I'm going to invite some people to dinner whom I've never invited.  I'm going to invest more in people, especially the ones living under my own roof.  

Do you know people who sit around waiting for life to happen to them?  I don't want to be them.  If this last year has taught me anything, it's that we need to fear less, love more, and live more. So I'm going to wear the pearls, and hopefully inspire someone else to do the same.      

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