Just by chance, one of my favorite non-sailing blogs Zen Habits makes exactly the same point today in a post titled Love Live Not Stuff. As one example of several ways to replace lust for stuff with lust for life, the author Leo Babauta advises...
Give experiences as gifts, not stuff. Instead of shopping for someone come birthdays or Christmas, think of an experience you can give them instead. A date with you, doing something fun, hanging out, cooking, playing, talking, exploring. A fun time at a park or beach. Something other than everyday. An experience is much more meaningful than an object.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Do you agree? Have you any good examples of "experience gifts" that you have given or received recently?
4 comments:
I can't believe you posted this today - my wife and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary!
A few years back, we declared a 'gifting truce', after running out of ideas for new baubles and toys that neither of us really needed.
Next week, we're taking the boat over to the city, parking it in a slip, and getting lost for a few days. No itineraries, no schedules, and we'll stay as long as we damn well feel like. The only certainties are some goodies from our favorite gourmet deli, and a few bottles of wine. We may make it to the Tapa place we haven't tried yet. Or not.
As our jobs have gotten more hectic over the years, the most valuable thing we can give each other is our undivided attention. And, since this is a sailing blog, I'll add that there's no better place for doing that than on a boat.
I have offered my spouse a sailing lesson on my Laser. She has been totally unappreciative...
My parents are doing a truly spectacular celebration of their 50th -- a solar eclipse cruise, which they are inviting family to join in on.
I alas, was unable to get permission to take the time off work, so the rest of the family will be going without me. But the folks have promised Pat and me an alternate experience to be determined later, and possibly to involve a sailboat. (Maybe I should send them a link to Captain JP's blog!)
Besides, if anybody on the plane has any flu symptoms (such as the Cough That Will Not Go Away), all passengers will be quarantined in Beijing and won't be able to go on the cruise. And my blog has been banned in China, so I might be considered politically unwelcome.
As a teacher, Carol Anne qualifies as a "suspicious character" in P. R. of China. It could be worse ... they really have been suspicious if she'd still been working for the newspaper... even if the sports desk workers aren't considered quite as subversive as the rest of the staff.
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