I wish I could buy something nicer to wear. Sometimes I get into the “I wish...” mode and it takes a jolt to knock me back into reality. Then I play the “I’m glad...” game. I’m glad I have my health. I’m glad my wife and children are all healthy. I’m glad my children are still living close to home. I’m glad I have so many friends.

Let’s face it! Life is too short for regrets. We must all learn to do the best we can with the cards we are dealt and to accept that things generally happen for a reason. Moreover, we must all be thankful every day for who we are and what we have, instead of wishing for more or wishing that we were someone or someplace else. I found a little story which clearly demonstrates this message. Too many of us don’t realize just how lucky we are until it’s too late.

The story is told by a 60 year old lady.

“I walked into the grocery store, not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn’t hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 37 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

Rudy often came with me and almost every time he’d pretend to go off and look for something special.

I knew what he was up to. I’d always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. Rudy knew I loved yellow roses.

With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since Rudy had passed on.

Shopping for one took time. It required a little more thought than it had for two. Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how Rudy had loved his steak.

Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blond, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and then put them back.

She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw me watching her and she smiled, “My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don’t know.”

I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. “My husband passed away eight days ago,” I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. “Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together.”

She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream section near the front of the store. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.

I first saw the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I could swear a soft halo encircled her blond hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.

“These are for you,” she said and placed three beautiful long-stemmed yellow roses in my arms. “When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for.” She leaned over and placed a gently kiss on my cheek, then smiled again.

I wanted to tell her what she’d done...what the roses meant...but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn’t alone. “Oh, Rudy, you haven’t forgotten me, have you?” I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.

Next time you have to make a decision, buy the steak! Life is precious.