It's Mama Kat time again! If you haven't joined in the weekly fun, it's best you head on over there and participate. If nothing else, at least check out her newly designed blog. Super cute, I'll have to say!
Anyways, when I saw this weeks prompts, it was an easy decision.
2.) What is one of your life mottos?(inspired by Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association)
That's My Life Motto!
I can't think of anything better. You see, I grew up in a home where we didn't do much as a family. Most of my childhood consisted of going grocery shopping with my mom, having a few sleepovers with a couple friends, movie outings with my mom and the occasional, and I mean occasional family outing. I can remember going to Disneyland once, going to a couple state parks for the day and that's pretty much it. My mom and her best friend would have to go out of town to clean the boss' vacation home a couple hours away, which my friend and I would tag along but that was it.
Now, I'm not complaining about my childhood. Honestly, if I were to complain about it, it wouldn't be about the lack of stuff we did as a family. It would be the arguments my parent's would have all the time, but that's another story. I just wished we did more as a family. Had pictures to look back on and reminisce about the good times spent together. It just wasn't like that growing up. My brother and I spent a lot of the time playing in our rooms or outside.
Anyways, I watch my parent's today and they do nothing. They're both retired (and still young, in their 50's) but they don't go anywhere. Seriously. They maybe go out to dinner to a restaurant maybe a handful of times a year. They pretty much spend all their time at home or out in the yard doing yard work. My dad would rather spend him money on fixing the cars or buying things for the house. My mom would like to do things but my dad hurts all the time from years of construction, so that is limited. That just isn't living if you ask me though. It makes me sad to see them cooped up in that house.
Then you have my brother and his wife. Again, another couple who don't do anything. They've been together for at least 7 or 8 years now and have gone to Disneyland once. As for going out of town to spend some quality vacation time? Nothing. They are homebodies. At least my brother is.
There are other people in my life that I also see not doing much cause they too are homebodies or just the fact of money.
The way I look at it is, we are not taking our possessions with us when we pass on. There are so many beautiful places in this world to see that, what would life really be if we spent all our time at home? I almost feel it's a wasted life.
Now, I'm not saying be dangerous in order to live life to the fullest. If anything, I'm all about being safe. Sure, there are things I'll do to be adventurous such as riding the sky coaster at Six Flags or traveling at the spur of the moment. Doing things like sky diving is not in my realm of "fullness"! That's just nuts, if you ask me.
Since having my daughter 7 years ago, I wanted my daughter to see and experience all this world has to offer. We have taken her on so many family vacations and seen so much together, that she has seen more in her short life than I had seen by the time I was 21 yrs old. I just want her to have the opportunities that I never had as a child. Plus, special memories she'll have with her mommy and daddy is something no one will be able to take from her.
I just say, get out there and don't be afraid to be adventurous. There is so much to see and do and share with your loved ones. Heck, go out and do these things with the people in your life. Create memories. Those stay with us forever. Possessions only surround us.
11 comments:
Great advice! I realize you can have fun on a budget, but maybe more families will be able to get out and do more once this economy improves. As you said, memories last forever!
A great motto - and so easy to forget in the day to day hassles of life.
That's nice you go so many places but not everyone is big on traveling. Some people, like us, don't travel at all, but we do like to enjoy the things around us. Also, when people are old, like your retired parents, sometimes they just want to bother making the effort to go out. My dad was like that but he certainly kept busy around the house and enjoyed being home.
Visiting from Writer's Workshop.
I am so with you on this post!! It frustrates me to no end that people don't get out with their kids and explore the world! I want my kids to see as much first hand so that when they learn about it in school they can say, "I HAVE BEEN THERE!" Even the years we couldn't afford to get out of Ohio, I mapped out fun historic sites we could drive to here in Ohio to explore for an afternoon with a packed picnic basket!
I think this was such a great post! I haven't been over in a while and I always love coming by and seeing what you are up to! Your advice is very wise. Life life to the fullest because it is short and we don't really know how long we have to enjoy it : )
We all want our kids to have a better life than we had.
For someone who had a chaotic life as a child, staying home in a place filled with love and contentment may be just what the adults want most for their own children.
We do our best, and our children, when they are grown, can do what they feel is best for their children.
When your daughter is a mom she may surprise you with what she desires to show her own children about life!
I SO agree! Whenever my hubby starts talking about how much things cost etc, I always say, "we can't take that to heaven!" That's probably my motto... :)
I completely agree! Live life to the fullest and go out and LIVE as much as possible! It makes me crazy to think people waste their lives...
I wish I got out more, and I do try to get out a bit.
A great motto to live by… I know that many times I feel like a homebody, but I also know that come the weekend my wife and I are doing something. It may not be as extravagant as Disney World (I have never been there), but we do fun and exciting things (even if it is going to the mall and shopping).
My grandparents do that! Just sit around...watch Judge Judy...but I'm with you, I don't want to look back and have any regrets!
We don't do anything! But right now it is really hard to travel because all of our kids are so young. I try to get them out and about in town so we are not homebodies...
...but I can't wait until it is not such a headache for us to go somewhere and explore!!
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