The Most Expensive Luxury

"Their memories will be encrusted over with sublime and

pleasing thoughts."


--Henry David Thoreau

Katie and Clancy in the forbidden chair.



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Excerpt below taken from Frugal Luxuries, by Tracey McBride, Bantam Books, NY, 1997


M e m o r y M a k i n g


"If you believe, as I do, that time is the most precious commodity, then a memory is the most expensive of luxuries. What makes it so costly is the fact that you must spend your most precious divided, time, to buy it. That being the case, let us briefly explore the concept of making and collecting memories. It costs us nothing but thought and a bit of energy to make a moment happy or unhappy. If you choose to take a positive outlook and/or action, the moment may transform into a happy one, thus creating a happy memory. And a happy memory is the most precious frugal luxury.

....I have a vivid memory of our two older children when they were not quite two and four years old. They had snuck into the living room to play on a certain chair that they were not allowed to sit on. For some reason, this silk damask club chair appealed to them both immensely. Perhaps the cool smoothness of the fabric soothed them, or maybe it was the simple fact that it was forbidden territory. Whatever the reason, one hot afternoon I found them nestled side by side in the outlawed chair. Giggling and laughing.

Katie was wearing nothing but a diaper held in place with silver duct tape (a necessity due to her penchant at the time for discarding the diaper entirely). Clancy was wearing a pair of swimsuit trunks. The combination of the uncharacteristically rebellious behavior, their unexpected camaraderie, and their odd appearance made me laugh and take their picture instead of scolding.

Now that they are both young adults,
this memory has become especially precious to me. Had I simply gotten irritated and not appreciated the moment, I would not have this moment to savor, or the many others like it."