Experiences Not Things

Experiences not things.

It’s my new motto and I had a lot of fun making all these picture quotes last weekend, with all the experiences I want to have when our lives go back to some sort of normal. Although, for me, my normal changed well before COVID hit when my beloved husband passed away. Almost a year ago now. And something like that, it affects you. It makes you question everything you know to be true about your life. Grief is different for everybody but I think the one thing that is true for all of us is that it changes you. It can’t help but do so. The person you are on the other side is not the person you were before. And maybe that’s a good thing. After all, the person you were before didn’t have to live life without their loved one.

More recently I had an accident and hurt my back. I’m still recovering, and have lost mobility until I’m fully healed. The pain, for a week after it happened, was immense. Crippling. I could barely function. Sitting hurt. Standing hurt. Lying down hurt. Getting back up hurt. I have a whole new level of respect and sympathy for everyone I’ve ever known who has experienced pain like this. I’m so sorry I didn’t appreciate what you were going through!

But this event has made me question everything, again, and cemented my new motto which has been evolving over the course of the last year as I live into what it means for me.
My message, to all of you, is to live life to the full. Do all the things. Do them often. Get out and experience life. Make friends, go places (when we can, yet even now there’s still places to go), run, jump, skip and laugh. Eat the food and buy the things. But don’t let the things be your priority. The experiences, and most of all the people. Those are what matters.
And throughout all this doing, being, and experiencing be sure to take time to think and create. Down time, quiet time, is important too. It’s what fuels us, and is central to our happiness. Know yourself, and live your best life – every single day.

Experiences, not things.

Tess x