For No Occasion

On the things I've been saving.

I've always loved beautiful things.

Clothes, jewelry, the small treasures I bring home because I like the way they look or feel.

For years, I saved the ones I loved most. A dress I was waiting for the right place to wear. Perfume for the special event. I was happy simply knowing they were there.

I enjoyed having something to look forward to. I still do. There is a particular pleasure in getting ready for an evening out, deciding what to wear, taking my time with the little details. I wouldn't want to lose that.

But lately, most of my days have looked quite different.

I work from home, and I'm often so absorbed in my work that the hours slip by. Dressing up seldom makes the list.

The clothes I love are still there. So is the perfume. Much of it has been sitting wherever I last left it. Some things tucked away, others scattered around. Clothes I haven't worn, things I've been meaning to put back in their place.

Knowing they were there used to be enough. Now I walk past them so often that I hardly see them anymore.

So this time, I stop and take a closer look.

There are things I'd forgotten I had. Things I still love. A few I can't remember why I bought. Some have barely been used.

I can spend a surprising amount of time getting ready when I have somewhere to go. Yet on the days when I'm home, I rarely make the effort.

I've been thinking about that difference.

I remember the pleasure of putting on something I love. The touch of the fabric, the scent of perfume on my skin, the small satisfaction of having taken the time for myself.

I bought these things because I loved them. And somewhere along the way, I decided that wasn't reason enough to enjoy them whenever.

Today, I wear the perfume.

In appreciation,
S. Marie
C U M I C H E