Dress for the Party

Growing up, I had an older gentleman that was a friend of mine. We would see each other at the country club from time to time and every time I would see him he was always dressed very dapper. I always wondered why he continued to dress like a classic gentleman and looked so put together every time I would see him. One day, I finally got the nerve to ask him.

I asked, "Sir, I have always wondered why you dress so well every day. Why is it that you even wear a bow tie to play golf? Don't your nice clothes get dirty?" His response is something that changed the way I looked at myself and life forever. He said, "Son, dress for the party." I responded, "But, there isn't a party. You're just playing golf?" He then said, "Dress everyday as if it was party!"

Elaborating, he said, "Jimmy, I grew up very poor and, as with any poor family, there is always a rich aunt. One day, I went over to her house and she had beautiful china, linens and sterling silver cups and I asked her why she never used them. She said that they were only for special occasions. She died a week later only having used her china and nice things very little. I made a decision that day, that I would live everyday as if it were a party. I would wear my nice clothes. I would use the nice china because at any moment it could all be over."

Walking away, the older gentleman could not have known that what he said to me would be something I would carry for the rest of my life. But, I have and I have tried to live my life like he did. A year or so later, I learned he had passed. But, the idea that he bestowed on me and the wisdom he left with me is something that must be shared. So, if there is one thing that you can take away from this short blog post it is this:

-Live life as if today it could be all be over.

-Eat that extra piece of cake because it could be the last.

-Buy that nice watch because you deserve it.

-Wear your "Sunday Best" as often as you can.

-Realize that if it gets warn out that it is ok. You can always buy another suit, but you can't buy back the days you spent in it.

I hope this post will bring some ideas forth for you as it did for me!

DRESS FOR THE PARTY

-James R. Bower Jr.