Little reminders

Last summer I went to a writers’ conference with a pipe cleaner--er, I mean chenille stick-- wrapped around my wrist as a bracelet. Its purpose was to remind me to be enthusiastic. I didn’t expect to actually find an agent, but I could at least enjoy myself. The fuzzy little bracelet kept me happy and excited.
Today, as I drove home from painting Mom’s house, I noticed the chenille twisted around my car fan. I was stiff from climbing up and down ladders, sore from grasping paint brushes, and generally tired from doing too much work that I wasn’t used to doing. I was frazzled and anxious to get home.
Oops. I had just finished a huge task with my family, but I had not taken time to enjoy the accomplishment. It was easy to forget while under all the pressure of doing unfamiliar tasks in a big hurry that this was something worth enjoying.
Perhaps I should always wear a token bracelet to remind me to enjoy moments of my life. The twist of pipe cleaner works, but I wonder if sapphires and silver wouldn’t do just as well.
Nancy Sherer