I bet my aunt Donna could count on one hand the number of times she actually used her Chanel No. 5 perfume. She always was waiting for that “special occasion.” When she passed away unexpectedly, her sisters sorted through her belongings. They found countless numbers of practically full bottles of expensive perfume, tons of new jewelry they never saw her wear, and dozens of elegant clothing items, the majority of which still hung with the tags on them. Her husband loved Donna so much and always tried to provide her with the finer things of life, but she was too much of a martyr to fully enjoy his gifts. So many presents just sat there, unused and never fully appreciated.

We are all like Donna in some way, selflessly postponing the wonderful things of life until we feel worthy of them. Sometimes we even have the finer things of life right at our fingertips, just waiting for us to use them. What we forget is that if we do not use them soon enough, they will go to waste; the perfume will go rancid, the vibrant dresses may fade and the jewelry might tarnish.

It almost seems like “Foregoing” is a competitive sport among women these days. Who can win the long jump for the greatest amount of time awake or most spit-up, paint, and dirt on one shirt? Then there is the long distance run for the woman who goes the farthest without buying herself something new or spending any time beautifying herself. Women have a lot of pressure on them to be the perfect mom, wife or female. Many women even feel guilty if they find themselves enjoying a little free time or spending a few extra minutes primping. However, if you value your appearance and have positive feelings about yourself, there is a beneficial impact on not only your personal, emotional and physical health but your relationships as well.

I like to read “The Family Circus” comic series. Many years ago, there ran a cartoon that said, “Yesterday’s

the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a GIFT. That’s why it’s called the present.A friend of mine has her own version of this saying; “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift and that’s why we call it the present.” Life is the best present of all! Of course, it can be uncontrollable and hectic at times, but most people like life a bit unpredictable and spontaneous. Thankfully, we are all in control of at least one thing and that is the way we treat ourselves. You may not have power over an unplanned trip to the doctor, the weather or where and when your son’s next baseball game is, but you can keep yourself healthy by indulging yourself occasionally.

Enjoy every day however it may come, because each day should be viewed and treated like a special occasion. If you think you don’t deserve some tender loving care now, then when are you going to make time for it? You do not want to wait until after the perfume has lost its scent and your clothes are no longer stylish. Go on and pamper yourself a little. You deserve it!