01 - Meaningless Spending is Meaningless Living
50 Years, 50 Lessons
Lesson 01: Meaningless Spending is Meaningless Living
You can work and work and work and earn and earn and earn and spend and spend and spend. But for me, right now, my most prized material possessions are nothing I earned or paid for. The things I have that I love the most tell stories…about people that truly know and love me to reclaimed “junk” that was being tossed aside. These things are meaningful beyond words with value beyond measure. And I have less than 10 of them.
This photo is of me with two of them.
The stuffed bear was my grandmother’s and was a gift given to her from my mother. It was created from a mink stole that my grandfather bought my grandmother back when real furs were a thing. My grandparents had the most wonderful love story, and this stole-turned-bear after my grandfather’s passing brought my grandmother to tears. She hugged it dearly, and it provided her with comfort in her remaining years. Now, a few years after my grandmother’s passing, my mother has gifted it to me for my 50th birthday. Few gifts could be more meaningful.
Then, there is the painting in the background. Smokey Hollow. Where I grew up. That waterfall was situated firmly between my two childhood houses, and so I spent many years as a kid mucking around there. Frogs, creeks, fish, swimming, adventuring, climbing, mudding. This is where I found joy. Often alone. Or with my dogs. When Brian Darcy painted Smokey Hollow in the 90s, my parents bought me a print for my 18th birthday. It is also one of my treasures.
For my 50th Birthday, I have gifted myself a purposeful pause. Some travel, reflection, silence, adventure, likely some tears, and hopefully some joy.
While I adventure both inside myself and out in the world, I will share the lessons I have accumulated along the way: 50 Years, 50 Lessons.
Perhaps one or more of these will resonate with you too.
Some are focused on life, and some on work. But as I have said before, there is no separation between our life and our work. There is just life and how we choose to spend the time we have.
To All: Thank you for being on this journey with me – past, present, and future.
Julie
