My mother had a beautiful set of china known as the “good dishes.” They were special to her and for decades she proudly displayed them in a glass-fronted china hutch in the dining room. That delicate set stayed protected within that china hutch through every Christmas, Thanksgiving and family get-together. Perfectly arranged and stacked they sat idle through every education and work- related achievement in the family. Ever at the ready, but never called; they watched the celebration of many weddings and the births of grandchildren and great-grandchildren alike. Never did a visitor come that merited the use of the treasured dishware.
We didn’t doubt that she loved us with all of her heart, but we sometimes wondered silently just what occasion would warrant the use of the “good dishes.” The years added up to a lifetime, and as her time grew short she passed them on to a daughter. The beloved porcelain went with just one rule: “Set the table,” she entreated, “use them enjoy them; don’t protect them from harm. Don’t wait for something big to come along. Let the people that you love know that they are special, and celebrate life with them any chance you get!”
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