The Art of Being Fancy

     Polish it so it’ll shine! Wrap yourself in it to dazzle your world! Jingle it in your pocket and sound loaded.  Then, use it, wear it, and spend it.

Scarlet O'Hara's Fancy Frock

     It’s either silver plated, gold plated, or copper/nickel coated.  Just as fancy now as I was when I sauntered into the Great Estate Roadshow, I share my findings most humbly.  Mandi, a new friend pictured here, held my millionaire status in the palm of her hand, literally!  Oh, what visions swirled in colors of instantaneous wealth sprinkled with sugar plums.  Dreams included a face-lift, perhaps body sculpting, and a cruise to an exotic clime, waited on by stewards and butlers, hostesses, and everyone within ear-shot!  
     The person who emerged, carrying a Victoria Secret bag filled with rejected jewelry, appeared as I was before, enjoying the fantasy of Fancy, doing everything in my power to influence my surroundings in that art. More is always better when it comes to fanciness, a trait infused into my genes through my mother.  She boldly influenced me to dream, saving heirloom jewelry, family silver, and a cache of really old coins such as Eisenhower dollars and Roosevelt dimes. 
     The jewelry is fancy, pretty, flashy, shiny, and appears highly valuable. It’s costume jewelry with some signatures such as Napier, but it’s still costume jewelry. Serving pieces such as ladles and meat forks can be polished and displayed on a wonderfully appointed dinner table, but even marked Reed&Barton, it’s not Sterling, unless it is marked so. Old coins must have the “S” mint mark (San Francisco) to be the best- perhaps 90% silver. Only certain dated coins produce any value above face value. And those Kennedy half-dollars minted during the Bicentennial, spend ‘em, baby.  Each is worth 50 cents. The bottom line:  All that “stuff” that Mother saved, that I saved, and locked in the safe inside a fireproof lock box is worth dreamy sentimentality. Which in and of itself, is not a bad thing, if you know that's the reason for saving it.
     The advice: gobble up all the “goodie” now.  What you think you may be laying up for your children on earth is exactly what God told us – it is of no value, plus, you can’t take it with you.   They will have to go through it and learn the truth:  it’s only make-believe.  Do you really want your “silver” trays and “diamonds” going to Goodwill?
      In my case, I contributed  5 pounds of very colorful costume jewelry to a local drama department!  I have saved some dazzling rhinestone earrings to wear when I next visit with the Queen.  And, I vow to wear several of the rings, all at the same time, just for fun and fanciness.  Polishing the silver will not make my weekly to do list, so think how much time I’ll have to put finishing touches on my “soon-to-be-best-seller!”  I’ll wear the rhinestone shoe clips to my first book signing!
       The lesson,though, is important:  live joyfully, celebrate each day, and dazzle yourself with whatever you wish to enhance your own daily pleasure. Be Fancy within yourself, sparkling, shining, and jingling with every fabric of your being!