It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned about and found an appreciation for the gift of an experience.
I’ve gone axe throwing.
Most likely walking away from having thrown my axe on the ground because my control was awful
I’ve gone to a murder mystery dinner.
In March 2020, the week everything began shutting down
I’ve gone on scavenger hunts and theater outings and game days and more.
The gift of an experience says a whole lot. From the gift giver, it says, “I like you so much I’m giving you a gift and wanting to spend more time with you.”
The older I get, the more I realize I don’t need many things* and all the more I think I’ll lean into the gift of the experience.
*Don’t get me wrong. I still love things. My love language is gifts. All gifts. I will squeal with giddiness over being gifted a stick of gum.
What I think I like best about this kind of gift is, usually, it’s something I never would have thought to go do myself.
As in the experience I received this Christmas from my SIL. I opened a gift box to find Neil Gaiman’s face staring up at me and two tickets to An Evening with Neil Gaiman.
I didn’t even know he was coming to town. And now here I was with a fun evening in May planned with my SIL. The writer and reader inside me danced around the living room at the thought of being in the same room with such a successful author. Hope sparked within me that I might gain a whiff of inspiration from him.
Sadly, in the excitement of planning life and all the amazing wonderful other things happening, my SIL swapped the numbers in her calendar and scheduled An Evening with Jess and Neil Gaiman for the 21st of May and not the 12th. The 12th found her beachside in the Keys which meant I had to see Neil with the second-best thing to my SIL: Her brother.
Texting my SIL an “I miss you” message while waiting for Neil
Neil Gaiman is simply charming. He reminds me a lot of a family friend who is passionate about his interests, but humble in the going about of it.
For roughly two hours, he spoke to the audience guided by pre-submitted questions* and read short stories and poetry, some created via Twitter, to us.
*Among which: Would Terry (Pratchett) be proud? And Who is your favorite Muppet**?
**I SO wish that had been my question. His answer: The Great Gonzo.
It was a lovely evening. I was inspired in more ways than one. Not only did I jot down a line he said which made the inner workings of my mind start drafting a new idea, but I also was inspired by the ease and comfort with which he read his work.
I felt a little guilty having such a wonderful night without my SIL, so I’m going to have to dig up the best experience for her for next Christmas.
I wonder if Rupi Kaur might be coming to town…
Like you, I prefer having experiences. Even as a kid, I didn’t like getting birthday gifts unless they were from big-ticket items from my parents (e.g. new computer, Radio Shack kit, aquarium, etc.)
Even though I am only 163cm tall and not much of a sports person, when I was in school (the Caribbean), I played soccer, tennis, cricket, basketball, volleyball, ran track and field, acted in the school play, sang in the choir, started the school’s computer lab and electronics lab, wrote games, practised botany, was on the debate team, and cross-bred various species of fish.
When someone says do you want to try this I usually say yes.