I hurried into the post office with a stack of bills, letters, and postcards to mail.The clerk asked me how many books of stamps I would like. I glanced at my bundle and said, “Two, please.” And then she proceeded to show me the various varieties, including: sunflowers and Liberty Bells. I pointed to the sunflowers and said, “I’ll take two books of the sunflowers.”
The clerk immediately shook her head and said, “No, you don’t want these!”
“Yes, I do,” I said.
“No, you don’t,” she demanded.
I wanted to say, “Then why did you offer them to me?”
The clerk explained that the rates were going up and unless I used two books of stamps right away the rates would soon change. "The Liberty Bell stamps are 'forever,'" she said.
I thought for a second and said, “No thanks. I’ll take the sunflowers.”
She shook her head again and rang up my purchase.
The clerk almost had the last word, “You know…no one looks at the stamp on the envelope anyway!”
I smiled broadly and said, “But I do!”
I’m sure most of you probably would have chosen the more practical choice—Liberty Bells. But I’ve learned one thing in life: I only have this “present” moment, and today it was sunflowers. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but today I will enjoy putting sunflowers on bills, thank-you notes, postcards, and a wedding card to my niece who is getting married on Saturday, May 2, 2009!
Living Life Passionately,
