Taking the Time to Ruminate on the Importance of Experiences Over Things

It always amazes me how fast time flies – and these days it’s like time is set to warp speed. Seems like just a moment ago I was at the pool relaxing and enjoying the hot sun on my face and the cool water on my tootsies as I glided along in my float on the Lazy River.

 

But now suddenly it’s Christmas Eve Eve and I haven’t even started wrapping the presents I’m bringing to the Cordova family Christmas celebration tomorrow. Eek!

 

So what am I doing sitting at my computer writing a long-overdue blog, you ask? Well, I’m a procrastinator from way back, see, and I felt like writing a blog and didn’t feel like wrapping stuff.

 

But I’ll get it done. I usually do. Sometimes things don’t look quite as nice or fancy as I intend them to. We call these things “Pinterest Fails” – but I rarely post photos of them, so if there are no photos, then there is no actual proof that I’ve failed. Or so I choose to believe.

 

Truthfully, I think I don’t want to wrap stuff because I’m afraid I’ll feel like I don’t have enough. That’s what usually happens when I wrap Christmas gifts. And I seriously do NOT want to go anywhere near a retail establishment today. The 23^rd of December? You kiddin’ me, pal?!

 

So what I have for folks will just have to be enough. As they say, it’s the thought that counts. And “they” are always right. Right?!

 

As I’ve gotten older, I finally “get” what older people through the years have meant when they said it’s all about the experiences we have with our loved ones rather than the things we acquire.

 

When I was younger, I had so many wants and needs that I didn’t care as much about the experience of, say, the annual family trip to Parkwood Beach. I felt like I needed the new suitcase so I could take the trip.

 

Yeah, when we were kids, we didn’t even have suitcases. Our parents put our vacation clothes in paper bags. You believe that?! One bag per kid, so it was tough being a teenager in the Domian household. Ain’t no way I could stuff a hairdryer, stack of paperbacks and my numerous outfits with an appropriate selection of footwear for the two-week trip all in one measly paper bag.

 

I have to admit being a little envious of the adorable tiny suitcases with adorable tiny wheels they have for little kids today. Sigh. I was so deprived.

 

No, not really. I was, after all, able to travel to Parkwood Beach every year with my family. I didn’t realize that some families never took annual vacations to the beach.

 

But I digress.

 

Because now I cherish the memories of those family trips. And I miss them.

 

And I appreciate the time I get to spend with the people in my life.

 

Take the last couple of weeks, for example. I’ve had numerous get-togethers with various friends. I feel happy. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself at every single gathering!

 

I’ve laughed. I’ve even shed a tear or two – but then the mood quickly shifted and we were back to laughing again.

 

We’ve shared meals, we’ve shared experiences – doing a little Christmas shopping, getting pedicures, preparing food, cleaning up afterwards, celebrating a birthday, enjoying a glass of wine, and talking, talking, talking. SO much talking!

 

You’d think we’d have run out of things to talk about, but noooo. (It’s a good thing I’m not talking to the same person every time. Then I surely would have run out of things to talk about and they would have had to say, “I KNOW, Jane. You’ve told me that same story five times now!”)

 

But I believe that these get-togethers have been worth more than 100 new suitcases. Uh, not that I’d want to go back to schlepping things around in paper bags, mind you. But the seven-year-old TJ Maxx suitcase I have suits me just fine.

 

So it may be too soon to set a New Year’s Resolution, but I’m going to do it, anyway. I’m going to focus on the experiences with friends and family next year rather than in acquiring new things. They are just things, after all, and are so not important in the grand scheme of this life.

 

Maybe it’s because I’m older now and I know that my life is not better because I have a big, impressive house and expensive furnishings in it. I kind of had that already – and I’d much rather have my Vince here with me in my small(er) flat with less expensive (but oh, so cute to me) furnishings, than in that big, impressive house.

 

I miss the house, sure. But I miss my Vince even more. And how much more special would it be to sit on the couch together drinking a morning cup of coffee with him and talking about our upcoming day than walking into a jewelry store and shopping for the most expensive bauble?

 

Hands down the cup of coffee experience would win over the bauble-shopping trip.

 

I’m not sure I could have made that statement a few short years ago.

 

I’m also not saying that I’ll never buy anything again. Because sometimes purchasing a little trinket when I’m on a trip or out with a friend means that I’ll think of that person whenever I look at that item because those things are tied up in the memory of my time with the special people in my life. But I don’t think I need the expensive things anymore.

 

In the meantime, while I’m staying out of all those retail establishments, I’m going to figure out what sorts of fun adventures and experiences I can take with friends and family in the new year.

 

Even at this advanced age, I’m thinking there are still new things to learn.

 

And maybe at this time next year I won’t be worrying that I don’t have enough gifts for people – but that I have just the right gift. Of time. Of the importance of family. And of togetherness.

 

We’ll see. Maybe first I need to take a class on how to stop procrastinating… But before that, I’d better get to wrapping those gifts. Tomorrow is gonna be here before I know it.

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the happiness your little heart can hold in the upcoming New Year.

 

If I don’t get to another one before the end of the year, I want to thank you for reading my blogs this year. It means a lot. Sending lots of love from me to you.