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When you live simply, days run together beautifully. Evenings spent relaxing with a good book blend seamlessly into morning walks and late afternoon glasses of wine into… evenings spent relaxing with a good book. It’s all well and lovely, but where’s the adventure, the drama, the stuff to tell grandkids about? In the end, are we wasting our lives by living simply?
Think back on your favorite memories of the last few years. Chances are, they revolve around vacations, parties, special events, and the like. Less likely to come to mind is the time you sipped a glass of iced tea on the lawn chair. Again, are our efforts to enjoy the simple pleasures mean we’re missing out on the kind of memories we’ll cherish years from now?
What Makes a Memory? Less Than You Might Think
If you thought I was going to say “yes” to that, you’re totally reading the wrong blog. But there is a caveat. Memories don’t just happen. We can consciously play a part in making them. One of the best pieces of advice I got on a special occasion was to take a moment to stop, look around, and take everything in. If I didn’t, the day would fly by and I would have missed the forest for the trees. That turned out to be true, and I’ve applied it to many more days since then.
Your conscious awareness of what’s going on around you—and your reaction to those surroundings—is the core of memory. It’s not what’s going on around you; it’s whether you truly see it.
So the next time you’re sitting in the hot tub, enjoying the stars (I know, I wish) or spending an afternoon scrapbooking, take a few seconds to take in your surroundings. Notice the way the air smells, the sounds around you, and the faces you see. Spend a minute just soaking in the feeling of the moment without interacting or reacting. Just be.
In the end, you don’t have to travel the globe to fill your life with interesting, satisfying memories. You just have to be happy where you are.
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Comments
06.04.09
I love this post for its - well, subtle simplicity.
What I think you are really talking about here is "mindfulness" - paying attention to what is really going on around us. As a minimalist, I have come to appreciate how much easier it is to practice "mindfulness" and how the "things" we end up valuing the most are not really "things" at all. And those memories we create take up very little space. Nice piece, Sara!
06.04.09
I recently read the book, "The Road to Serfdom", and one of my comments was that the middle class often finds themselves in bondage by their desire for the accumulation of stuff. Upon reading this statement, a professor mine suggested reading a book on Budhism. His reasoning was that Budhism is very much about living in the moment and when you can do that, your desire for stuff never enters into your mind.
This goes hand in hand with what I think is the purpose of your post, that we should as John has put it, be mindful of what we are doing, where we are, and the experience of life.
Great reminder on living life to the fullest!
06.04.09
I really like this post. I'm actually very pre-occupied with vacations - camping, rock climbing etc. - and I work so I can go on those vacations. Then i don't enjoy the work, or focus on the here and now, which I think is why I'm sometimes very irritable. If I applied some concepts of your post, it might help me be more satisfied with the situation
06.04.09
I found myself boiling up with anger as I read the first portion of this post... you got me, nice post.
06.04.09
I remember reading an article about creating memorable moments in your family.
The author mentioned that spending money on something memorable, rather than something practical, would be more enjoyable.
THe example given was taking extra money and spending it on a vacation to Disney World vs building an extra bathroom for the home.
While the bathroom would have provided longer term benefits, what do you think the kids are going to remember for years to come?
06.04.09
I'm one of those lucky few with the hot tub & stars (complete with palm trees... that's south Texas for you!). And sitting there I'm overcome with gratitude for being present for that moment.
Too many times on vacation we're caught up in the go here at this time, what's next, how are we getting there, where's the damn camera stuff to be present in that moment.
The real stuff happens when you open your eyes. I know what the happiest moment of my year is already - dancing in the kitchen with my boyfriend. You can't put a price on that. Life happens in the simple moments.
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