I'm Gretchen Rubin and this is a little happier.

On the Happier podcast, Elizabeth and I talked recently about personal anniversaries, and

that discussion reminded me of a scene I read recently.

It's from a book of essays called Nothing Good Can Come From This by Christy Colter.

It's a book about many things, in particular about her experiences with having a drinking

problem, giving up drinking, and living in sobriety.

After I'd finished the book, one episode from an essay called Elephant Grey really stuck

in my mind.

In this essay, Colter has quit drinking, and she achieved her 50th day without a drink,

and she thought she deserved a congratulatory treat.

She bought herself a cupcake, and as she walked back to her car, she passed the upscale

department store Barneys.

Just inside the front door, she spotted a pebbled leather bell-stuff bag in an unusual

brownish grey color, Elephant Grey.

The bag was absolutely gorgeous, and she decided to splurge and buy it, even though it was

very, very expensive.

It was $1,700.

Now, Colter emphasized that she could afford the splurge, she had the money to buy the bag,

but nevertheless, as the clerk started ringing it up and wrapping it, she started to feel

ashamed of herself, for buying something so expensive on impulse, and, she thinks, for

such an arbitrary milestone.

Even though the store clerk was acting in a very friendly way, she worried about what

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