Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal...Again

Recently I came across an article I had saved in a file thinking I would come across it again in life when I was"meant" to, and here it was. Years later and I was rereading what I think I got out of it the first time but still living exactly the same way I was the first time I read it.
For years I have been telling friends, people I would meet and colleagues "you should drink champagne with your lunch or dinner today." They would look at me with this look on their face like why would I want to spend that kind of money to have a glass of champagne (because we all know when you open a bottle of champagne you can't just have one glass you need to finish the bottle.) It never tastes as good as when you first open it; the bubbles that tickle your nose, the sweetness, the tingles it gives you, that sheepish feel good feeling, yup, champagne is meant to be drank as soon as it is opened. And besides, I know going through their head is, champagne is for celebrations, weddings, christenings, anniversaries, birthdays, but why not life in general? Ed Hardy put it simply, "Death is certain, Life is not." Why can't we celebrate being alive, conquering a challenge, achieving a long-term goal we have set for ourselves? Better yet why do we always have to drink champagne to celebrate someone else? Why can't we toast ourselves, our life choices?
I took a trip not too long ago to Vegas, while there of course I went shopping. I stopped in a store, new UK based boutique, one I had just come across on the Internet and never knew there were actual locations in the states. I walked in and was immediately greeted by a friendly employee, it made me feel so comfortable I immediately sought out something to try on. While doing so the friendly employee offered me some chocolate ( a woman of good taste never passes up a chocolate offering). Liking what I had tried on I decided to make a purchase, while at the register preparing to pay I was then offered a glass of champagne. I accepted with a smile, I wanted to celebrate my new purchase. I find this to be a rising trend in some places. Trendy high end jean stores, as well as to designers. They know how to celebrate! Now I am sure they also think the more sauced up they get you the more you are likely to purchase, but you know what, I will if it means celebrating my life choices.
So as we all know, instead of putting those new things we purchase in the closet with the tags on or keeping those dusty bottles of wine in the cellar to age, break them out and use them before you don't wake up one morning. Same goes to all those ladies that are married and have their wedding dresses in a box in cold storage. Sit on your couch, use them for Halloween, make something out of them, eat macaroni and cheese in them but for heavens sake use them. At some point it will be too late to wonder why you held on to so much and how you didn't live life.
This is not meant to be depressing but eye opening. We get so caught up in everyday life we forget, just like we forget to say "Thank you" or "I love you" regularly. So save this article, put it somewhere when on a low day or in the middle of the week or at some other point in life you come across it...again.