Experiences
Yesterday, I drove a 100 miles to take my sons to a St. Patrick's Day parade. Not a big, fancy parade. A normal parade in which businesses and dance teams and churches and local organizations take part. Later this week, I plan to travel that same 100 miles to visit an art center and observe an old asylum.
When I was growing up, there was the mindset that purchasing an item - whether it be inexpensive or expensive - was a more sensible, better option than spending money on an experience. After all, one would have that item for many years. One could always have tangible evidence of what that money was spent on.
I, personally, disagree. I want to experience life, not objects. I want to have memories of trips to the lake or of hiking adventures, of rendezvous with history through museum tours or cultural endeavors at parades and festivals.
I was thinking yesterday as I drove these 100 miles to our destination that so many times we try to run away from life. We fantasize of worlds which we will never experience. We become depressed because life is not what we think it should be.
Perhaps we run from life because we are so busy focusing on tangible items that we forget that life - real life - is worth living. Life is not about the abundance of things possessed. Life is so much more than stuff.
Instead of running from life through the collection of things, should we not embrace what life really is? Why shouldn't we have simple enjoyment from getting our feet muddy or picking wildflowers in a field? Why shouldn't we embrace life by searching history and observing art and culture?
Oh that I could encourage others to just take a chance. Instead of spending money on stuff, spend time on explorations. Invest in experience. Live life to the fullest. Seize the day.
When I was growing up, there was the mindset that purchasing an item - whether it be inexpensive or expensive - was a more sensible, better option than spending money on an experience. After all, one would have that item for many years. One could always have tangible evidence of what that money was spent on.
I, personally, disagree. I want to experience life, not objects. I want to have memories of trips to the lake or of hiking adventures, of rendezvous with history through museum tours or cultural endeavors at parades and festivals.
I was thinking yesterday as I drove these 100 miles to our destination that so many times we try to run away from life. We fantasize of worlds which we will never experience. We become depressed because life is not what we think it should be.
Perhaps we run from life because we are so busy focusing on tangible items that we forget that life - real life - is worth living. Life is not about the abundance of things possessed. Life is so much more than stuff.
Instead of running from life through the collection of things, should we not embrace what life really is? Why shouldn't we have simple enjoyment from getting our feet muddy or picking wildflowers in a field? Why shouldn't we embrace life by searching history and observing art and culture?
Oh that I could encourage others to just take a chance. Instead of spending money on stuff, spend time on explorations. Invest in experience. Live life to the fullest. Seize the day.
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