Over the next several years, Sherry and I kept in touch through emails and occasional video and audio messages. One day, Sherry emailed me and told me she was ready to start writing her next book.
“What’s the title?” I asked.
“Say It Now,” she told me.
She went on to explain her vision for the book.
She told me, “At people’s funerals, everyone gathers around and says all these beautiful things about the person who just died—how precious they were, how kind and smart, how creative and generous, how much they were appreciated, and all the reasons why. I always think, why do we wait until someone’s dead to express how much we love them? Why aren’t we saying these words—to their face—while they’re alive? Why not say it now? Imagine how wonderful that would be!”
I was struck by the simplicity and power of this message. It’s so true. We human beings tend to pound on through life in a busy, dizzy blur. We rarely take five seconds to say, “Thank you,” or “You mean so much to me,” or “Let me tell you why you’re amazing!” We rarely look up from our phones long enough to make eye contact and exchange a few kind words with the person standing right there, just two feet away. We wait until it’s too late—sometimes, until someone has passed away—before we realize our mistake.
There are Christians and Muslims and Buddhists. Sherry is, in her own words, a Celebrationist. She is one of those rare people who takes time, every single day of her life, to celebrate the people that she loves—and to celebrate the miracle of being alive. She doesn’t just talk about it—she lives this message. It radiates from every inch of her being. She has inspired me to “say it now” in so many ways—writing postcards to friends, recording video messages for my clients, checking in with friends who are struggling with health issues, and taking a spontaneous trip to Tahiti with my mom instead of putting it off until “next year.” My life has been enriched because of Sherry’s influence.
I’m so glad that Sherry created this precious little book—the one you’re about to read. It’s filled with simple ideas on how to say “I love you” to the most important people in your life—your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, parents, teachers, mentors, and other people who are meaningful to you, like perhaps a yoga teacher or the local librarian.
Whether you decide to express your feelings in the form of a letter, a list, a thoughtful gift, a surprise, a favor, a hug, or all of the above, I know this book will inspire you to stop waiting and say it now. As Sherry reminds us, the greatest gift you can give to another human being is the gift of a few moments of your undivided attention. And the right time for that type of gift is today…and every day…forever and always.
Hello. I’m so glad you found your way to this book!
My name is Sherry. I run a company called Simply Celebrate.
Professionally speaking, I wear many hats—writer, teacher, artist. But essentially, I’m a professional gift maker. At Simply Celebrate, people hire me when they want to create a thoughtful gift for someone they love—like an audiogram filled with messages for Grandma, or a tribute book to honor Uncle Larry on his sixtieth birthday, or a Love List for Mother’s Day (or any day of the year).
My life’s work is helping people celebrate everyday life and the people they love.
When people hear what I do, most of the time, they think, “Oh, Sherry is one of those naturally happy people who bounds out of bed each morning. Creativity and joy probably come easily to her.”
Nope. Not so.
The truth is, I have a history of anxiety and depression. My interest in gift-giving actually began during the darkest time of my life—a time when I was feeling like I didn’t even want to be alive. I was struggling to find a reason to stay on this planet. I couldn’t even imagine a life of joy.
Have you ever experienced anything like this?
It was 1991. I had just broken up with my boyfriend after a recent move to San Francisco. I was brokenhearted and grappling with a depression that had been nipping at my heels for years. I couldn’t kick it off this time.
By luck, a friend of mine gifted me with a book by Zen teacher Cheri Huber. This book led me to take a meditation class. I still remember how I felt walking into that first class. I was in such a place of pain and darkness that it felt like an iron wall closing in on me. There was no relief.
The instructor had us focus on our breath. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out. And a tiny miracle happened. I breathed in and I realized that—for just one brief moment, for one full breath—there was no pain. There was a moment of relief. A moment of peace. A moment of hope. Then I exhaled, and all the pain came rushing back, of course. But for that one brief moment, I saw a crack in the iron all around me. It was like a tiny pinprick of light.
The next day, I had a moment in which I saw a wide blue sky. I had a moment in which I lay in the sun and held my cat, feeling her purr. I tasted the blueberry jam on my toast. Each of these felt like more pinpricks of light in that iron wall. All of these moments helped me realize that I could consciously turn my attention to moments of joy instead of toward the pain.
After some time passed, I realized that I didn’t have to wait for these moments to occur in my life. I could seek them out. I could create moments of well-being and joy.
To heal from depression, some people do yoga, some people do therapy, some people try medication, or all of the above. I started making gifts. It became a daily practice, like a form of meditation. These gifts were not fancy or complicated. Just a quick “thank you” note for a friend or family member, or a list of reasons “why I appreciate you so much.” Each time I sent a little burst of gratitude toward someone, I felt that beautiful pinprick of light once again. A moment of celebration. A moment of joy. It’s really no exaggeration to say that gift-giving saved my life.
This is the magical thing about creating a gift for someone in your life. Not only does it feel amazing to receive that kind of love, but it feels fantastic to give that kind of love, too. It’s healing and uplifting for everyone involved.
I’ve spent the last twenty years exploring what it means to deliberately seek out joy and consciously create moments of appreciation and celebration. I’ve learned that joy doesn’t just land on me; joy is a practice. And “celebration” isn’t just something for special occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries. Celebration is a way of life.
So you can see why I’m so glad you’re here.
This book is an invitation to create more joy and celebration for yourself—and for the people you love. It’s all about saying what you feel and expressing your love—and doing it now.
Let’s get started! Inside this book, you’ll find thirty-three creative gift ideas. It’s okay if you’re not a particularly artsy or crafty person. Most of these gift ideas don’t require any special skills. Just choose any gift idea that appeals to you. Try it out. In doing so, you’ll create a moment of light for someone else—and for yourself, too.
I
