It’s Spending Time
Well here we are again; Black Friday leading into the Christmas spending period. We are bombarded with images regarding Christmas; crowds of people around a table, some glamorous, some more homely depending on whose ad it is. Presents that seem to mean something to both the recipient and the giver; so much food and of course snow……. (the last White Xmas in the UK was 2010) just saying!
What are we actually buying?
I ask this as I was in a bookshop in S.Kensington buying 2 books one of which I probably won’t read, as I was buying the books part of me was standing watching myself doing it and wondering why? Later I bought nail varnish – not a staple – still haven’t used it!
I was in London visiting my son and daughter in law, we were all going to see the Marie Antionette exhibition at the V&A (well worth it by the way).
I love seeing them and spending time together it’s always special because it’s not very frequent. I love seeing how they interact; how their lives are developing and I enjoy having conversations with folk half my age in a different period in their lives.
The book shop was a detour on the way to the museum, we then had lunch and walked around the beautiful back streets of Knightsbridge. We were all out of our usual milieu and enjoying the experience.
The three of us get on pretty harmoniously and the day develops and blossoms without any arguing or grumpy undercurrents.
This is what I value.
I have recognised in retrospect that when I buy something in the middle of having a good time that I want to extend the feeling. I want the good feeling within and about myself to last. It’s almost like the spending enhances and expands the moment. This time I recognised it when it was happening but still went ahead. In the future I will pause a bit more; because usually when I get home and the glow has worn off (Think Ready Brek kid!) I wonder why did I buy that?
Usually the purchase only faintly conjures the moment again.
So as we are approaching the festive spend have a ponder on what are you trying to buy? The ads are selling us the experience of family and community, love and generosity. All good things but it isn’t what you spend that creates the meaningful bits. The meaningful bits are possible at any moment I suspect all we need to do is slow down a little to see them. Think about what is valuable to you and how that is to be achieved.
I suspect it won’t be on sale anywhere!