When you’re at a wedding straight out of a Pinterest board, you expect excellent food, an open bar, and if you’re lucky, someone to get drunk enough to tell you a family secret. What you don’t expect is life-changing advice, though that’s what I got.
It was in the middle of the ceremony and the rabbi began his message. He gave the usual primer on life’s hardships. You’ve got to stick together, yadda yadda yadda.
But then his message took a turn. It was simple, and it applied to everyone in attendance (married or not).
Over-celebrate the good.
He said we should approach the good times of life with the same kind of intensity that we use to persevere through the bad ones.
In other words, why make it through sickness when you don’t enjoy the proverbial health?
He went on to say (paraphrasing here) that life isn’t a slog to the finish. Yes, the hard times are guaranteed, but you get to choose how you handle the sweet moments.
His message stuck with me. With every job promotion or anniversary or seemingly minor accomplishment, when I internally questioned whether I should celebrate, I answered with a definitive yes.
And really, what’s the harm? What’s wrong with adding a little confetti? (Fine, besides the mess.)
Every birthday and milestone are the moments that make a good life. They are the reasons you work hard.
You deserve to over-celebrate the good.
So next time something good happens, big or small, go a little overboard. There is enough bad in life. Don’t be afraid to over-celebrate the good.
To being better without avoiding champagne,
Elizabeth