How many of us have our grandmother’s china? How many of us have this treasure stored in a cabinet collecting dust because we think we need a special holiday or occasion to use it? I have been guilty of this myself until a few years ago when I came across a picture of my grandmother in her kitchen. When I looked at the picture, I remembered how excited she was when my family came to visit, she cooked for days getting ready for our arrival and she set the table with her china. I thought to myself, just having us with her was a special reason to celebrate and that is when I decided to use my china on more than a rare occasion.
My three sons, yes, the oldest one is married, the middle one is in college, and the youngest one is in elementary school. I know, but that is a blog for another time. Point being, I know how my grandmother felt with the anticipated excitement of her family’s pending visit. This Sunday will be the first time that I will have seen my oldest son and middle son in six weeks; so, in my book that is reason to celebrate.
If we really think about life, we all have something to celebrate every day! Celebrate a child making a new friend or a good grade at school. Celebrate when you get a call from an old friend that you have not talked to in years. Celebrate waking up this morning to the sound of birds and the rest of the day was filled with sunshine. When one learns to appreciate the little things, they realize how much there is to celebrate. And I bet if you could go back and ask your grandmother, she would agree.
There is a reason that my grandmother left the china to me and it wasn’t to store it until Thanksgiving and Christmas. She wanted me to enjoy it with my children and one day grandchildren just as she enjoyed me and my family.
Whether you are celebrating a mother hen, a graduate, a child coming home from the first year of college or just celebrating the everyday - pull out that china and silver and enjoy!