My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite silk, hand-made and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion, Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."
姐夫打开底层的抽屉，拿起一个薄纸包着的包裹，“这个”“它不是纸，这是一件内衣”，他打开表层的薄纸，把里面的内衣递给我。质地是非常精致的丝，手工制作，还有精美的蕾丝镶边，一个印着天文数字的价格牌还挂在上面。“至少是在8、9年前，我们第一次去纽约的时候，简买下了它，但她从来没穿过。她想留着在特别的时候穿。唉，我想现在就是那个特别的时候吧。”他从我手里拿过内衣，和那些要带去殡仪馆的衣服一起放在床上，他抚摸了一下那柔软的材料，然后他猛地关上抽屉转过来大声对我说“不要总是留着东西，想在特别的时候用。你活着的每一天都是特别的。”
I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad job that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.
在整个葬礼和接下来的日子里，我帮姐夫以及外甥女料理姐姐突然去世后的一系列伤心的后事。场我一直记着他说过的那句话，在从姐姐一家居住的中西部镇返回加利福尼亚的飞机上我也一直想着那句话，我想着所有姐姐没有看到、听到或做过的事情，想起所有她做过，但她没有意识到有多和特别的事情。
I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to enjoy, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.
直到现在，我仍然记得姐夫说过的那句话，它们改变了我的生活。我花更多时间阅读，但是更少做清扫。我坐在露台上欣赏风景，而不为了花园里的杂草大惊小怪。我花更多的时间和我的家人和朋友一起，减少参加会议的时间。只要有可能，生活就应该是一种享受，而不是忍受。现在我正尝试意识到这些时刻并珍惜它们。
