What is the best purchase you have ever made?

The Best Purchase I’ve Ever Made? Every. Single. One.

People ask me, “What’s the best purchase you’ve ever made?”

Excuse me…are you new here?

Every purchase I’ve ever made is the best purchase I’ve ever made! Why else would I have bought it?

I don’t just randomly spend money. I make highly important, carefully calculated, life-changing decisions.

By “carefully calculated,” I mean I stare at something online for approximately seventeen seconds, decide it was probably handcrafted by angels somewhere in Italy, whisper, “I would actually be losing money if I didn’t buy this,” and then hit Add to Cart with the confidence of a Fortune 500 CEO.

Because when I purchase something, it’s going to be the best.

It’s going to be from the best designer.

It’s going to look the best.

And it’s going to go perfectly with all the other best purchases I’ve already made.

See? Financial responsibility.

Most of my shopping happens online because why would I leave the house when the entire world can be delivered directly to my door?

Getting packages is like having Christmas arrive from a magical moving truck with a different Santa every day.

UPS Santa.

FedEx Santa.

USPS Santa.

DHL International Santa, bringing me something fabulous that apparently had to cross three countries and clear customs because Spirit Water said I needed it.

Every time the doorbell rings, I get excited.

“Oh! I wonder what I bought!”

Meanwhile, Blaze, my cat, is sitting in the window rolling his little cat eyes thinking, “Heavens to Betsy Ross…not again. That doorbell is going to keep ringing all day. A cat never gets to sleep around here.”

He’ll stretch, yawn dramatically, glare at me like I’m the problem, and slowly saunter off to another room because apparently Amazon, UPS, FedEx and USPS have personally ruined his twenty-three-hour nap schedule.

Sometimes I don’t even remember ordering it.

That’s because daytime Christy and nighttime Christy are two completely different people.

Daytime Christy is responsible.

Daytime Christy checks emails, drinks coffee, handles business and occasionally pretends to understand the concept of a budget.

But when nighttime arrives, daytime Christy clocks out and Spirit Water clocks in.

Spirit Water is dangerous.

Spirit Water has excellent taste and absolutely no concern for tomorrow’s bank account.

Spirit Water believes every designer handbag deserves a loving home.

Every pair of shoes is lonely without me.

Every pair of sunglasses was created specifically for my face.

Every piece of jewelry is basically begging me to rescue it from that cold, lonely website.

And don’t even get Spirit Water started on travel clothes.

Apparently, every vacation requires an entirely new wardrobe.

You cannot wear the same outfit in Greece that you wore in Hawaii.

Paris deserves different shoes than Scotland.

A Caribbean cruise requires at least twelve outfits per day.

Walking through a boutique hotel lobby requires an entrance look.

Getting off an airplane requires an arrival look.

Boarding a ship requires a nautical but fashionable look.

Going to dinner requires a glamorous look.

Walking five feet to get coffee requires a casual designer look that says, “I just threw this on,” even though it took forty-five minutes and involved three purse changes.

Then there’s Spain.

Spain has entered the chat.

You honestly think I’m going to run with the bulls in Pamplona wearing last year’s travel clothes?

Absolutely not.

If I’m going to be chased down a cobblestone street by a giant bull named Fernando who woke up angry and chose violence, I’m at least going to look fabulous doing it.

Picture it.

Designer sunglasses.

The perfect running shoes.

A cute travel outfit.

Hair looking amazing.

Handbag coordinated.

Everything perfectly put together…

…for the six seconds before I’m sprinting like my life depends on it.

Because it probably does.

Regular Christy would be yelling, “Maybe we should rethink the bull situation!”

Spirit Water would be standing behind the barricade holding a glass of vino and screaming, “YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! RUN FASTER!”

And we all know Spirit Water wins every time.

If I’m going to become an international headline reading, “Alabama Woman Outruns Bull While Protecting Designer Handbag,” I at least want the pictures to look good.

Priorities.

The same applies to cage diving with great white sharks.

If I’m going to climb into a metal cage and watch a gorgeous shark swim by while possibly considering me as an expensive appetizer, I’m going to have the correct swimsuit, sunglasses, cover-up and waterproof travel bag.

I refuse to be almost eaten while looking underdressed.

That would be embarrassing.

Honestly, most of my purchases are travel investments.

Every purse deserves a passport.

Every pair of shoes deserves an airport.

Every dress deserves an ocean view.

Every piece of jewelry deserves candlelight, excellent wine and a beautiful restaurant somewhere far away from home.

And every fabulous outfit deserves to make memories instead of sitting in a closet.

That’s how Spirit Water and I justify everything.

It isn’t shopping.

It’s preparing for future adventures.

Sometimes I open a package and say, “Ohhhh…I forgot about you!”

It’s like reuniting with a long-lost family member.

Then I immediately start planning where it’s going.

“Okay, this purse is definitely going to Paris.”

“These shoes belong in Spain.”

“This dress needs Greece.”

“These sunglasses are clearly for the Caribbean.”

“And this completely unnecessary sparkly item?”

Spirit Water says it’s for a destination we haven’t booked yet.

So really, it would be irresponsible not to keep it.

People say money can’t buy happiness.

I respectfully disagree.

It may not buy true love, inner peace or eternal happiness…

…but it can buy a gorgeous handbag, fabulous shoes, designer sunglasses, beautiful jewelry, an airline ticket and the perfect outfit for running away from an angry bull.

And while I’m wearing all of that, headed to another beautiful destination with the people I love, sipping a wonderful glass of wine and living life to the fullest…

I’d say happiness is doing just fine.

So, what is the best purchase I’ve ever made?

All of them.

Every single one.

Even the ones Spirit Water ordered late at night after too much vino.

Especially those.

Because every package that lands on my doorstep reminds me of one important life lesson:

Life is short.

Buy the shoes.

Carry the purse.

Wear the jewelry.

Book the trip.

Run with the bulls.

Swim with the sharks.

Open the box.

And if Spirit Water happens to take over the shopping tonight…

Well…

Tomorrow is Christmas anyway.

Carpe Diem…and somebody please keep Spirit Water away from the Checkout button after the second glass of wine…because Blaze would really like to get some sleep!