creme de la mer

Several years ago I had purchased a jar of the expensive miracle cream called "Crème de la Mer" and watched in wonder at the difference it made in my skin. (Please note, I do not sell this cream. If you are interested in buying it, don't contact me - contact Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and the like.) However, the cream is quite expensive and so for the last few months I began to worry about running out. I began to use the cream very sparingly to make it last as long as possible.

When the cream was almost gone, I decided to go back to my usual moisturizer because although I really saw a difference at first, I'd noticed more fine lines during the last few weeks. I ordered the old brand of moisturizer, and when it came I started to use the last of the Crème de la Mer.

Because I had the new jar of cream, I applied the last of the Crème de la Mer more generously to use it up. Suddenly that glowing skin I'd gotten used to when I first purchased the product returned. I realized that by using less than I needed, I had the cream longer but I didn't get the benefits!

During the holidays, I think most of us feel a bit overwhelmed. On top of our normally busy lives we are supposed to shop, decorate, visit friends and family, and celebrate the season. We have so much going on that the days go by in a blur and before we know it another year has begun.

During particularly stressful times, like the holidays, it can be tempting to pull back and conserve our resources. We don't go to parties because we know we will be tired after work, we choose to stay home instead of going to the town tree lighting, etc. Although this feels like self-preservation (after all, you'll get another hour of sleep), you also miss out on the chance to be with people you love and the chance to meet new people.

You can stay home and conserve your energy, but like using small amounts of cream so it will last longer only to find that you missed out on its benefit, you may find that the extra hour of sleep or time in front of the TV you gained gave you far less than getting out would have. Sleep and rest and quiet are things that all of us need, but friendship, family, and joy are also important to the quality of our lives.

If you think back to your time at school, it is usually the moments like recess, school trips, and extracurricular activities that you remember, not the endless hours sitting at your desk. The same is true of your life today. What you remember at the end of your life, what makes you happy or sad about what you did with the time you had, will not be that you watched the season premiere of Friends (unless you did it with a group of your own friends), but the time you spend gathering memories with family and friends.

The holidays offer us a rare time in which we have a socially acceptable excuse to let the people in our lives know that we appreciate them. It would be a grand thing if we lived our lives like this throughout the year. This year, say "yes" to those party invitations, or throw a little party of your own. Make cookies for your coworkers, say "hello" to that person that works in your building and looks so interesting, make an effort to reach out to others so that when you finish up the jar of life, you found you used every drop to it's best advantage.

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