When Is Later?

A very classy lady who I see in my early morning exercise class wears very pretty workout clothes –and beautiful jewelry. She’s in in her late 80s. When she does the cardio part of our circuit training her steps are small and slow but steady, a lovely necklace often swaying slightly against her chest. As I watch her, I realize she is doing life right.

Saving your good stuff until later is what most of us do, me included. But when is later? In my early downsizing process, I’ve come across lovely items I’ve been saving until later, effectively having left them unused and unenjoyed. The jewelry that was too good to wear to work. The clothes saved for special occasions that never happened. The wine I never drank.

This Christmas I was gifted with many wonderful new things –lovely sweaters and other clothing, several beautiful danglies (my name for earrings), fragrant soap and hand creams, a little cheetah print leather purse, and expensive tennis shoes among the surprises. More than I expected; love wrapped in holiday paper. Items I carried home and spread out on my bed like prize-winnings. As I looked at everything, I remembered the classy lady from my exercise class and thought, if retirement doesn’t qualify as later, what on earth does?

Following her example, I’ve decided to dress accordingly, comfortably clad in clothes I would not normally wear while just sitting alone in my home. I’ll fit my ears with delightful rainbow dragonflies or gold fillagree teardrops or translucent blue flowers. My resolution for the coming year is to become a user, in the best of ways. I’ll enjoy using my fancier dishes and special teacups; I’ll wear those pretty pajamas; I’ll employ my lovely kitchen towels. Because for me later is now. I’ve crossed the finish line of employment; my children are grown and some of my grandchildren are in college. I no longer need to live in save mode.

Funny how such a small shift in attitude is changing my perspective. Downsizing doesn’t seem so daunting when reallocating my priorities. I only want to own what I actually use. Things I may or may not use or need later will no longer counts as valuable enough to hang on to. As I enter the new year, I gladly acknowledge how I want to live the rest of my life.

The question of what you want to own is also the question of how you want to live your life. ~Marie Kondo, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up"