The Gift is in the Experience
[IMAGE-1]
NO DOUBT YOU HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, or read a blog post already sharing thoughtful ideas on what to buy for your mother on Mother's Day this year. Here at PGM, depsite the best of intentions, I have been completely absorbed in the final stages of bringing you Volume 8 and haven't shared our own ideas. However, perhaps there is another reason why this wasn't made a priority in my schedule—not because I don't want to celebrate this lovely day, but because, in my own life, the idea of buying something to celebrate mothers doesn't really resonate with me. In my personal life, I have gone through a difficult time this past year, among which was losing both of my husband's parents within a month of each other to illness. After we finally picked up the emotional wreckage, we were left with a house full of memories, forty years worth, and forty years worth of 'things' to sort through, decide what to keep, or donate. They are beautiful things, things with meaning, but they belonged in another life and nearly a year later we are still dealing with all. My eyes were opened, truly, during this process, to the amount of things we accumulate during our lifetime, and it reasserted in me a desire to live more simply, and with less. I feel very strongly that what I do bring into my home must be beautiful, of very good quality, timeless, and functional, so that I might have it for a very long time. And if I love, truly love it, I will feel less inclined to replace it, or tire of it. All this to say, I am exploring the idea of not buying gifts in the future but rather invest in experiences instead.
[IMAGE-2]
[IMAGE-3]
In our day to day life, we get consumed by the busy-ness of it all. On my day off I have to clean the house, grocery shop, do laundry, cook, change the beds, and on and on. I have a list of things I'd love to do in the back of my mind, but it seems they rarely get realized. So, this year, for Mother's Day why not pack up the whole family into the car with a picnic lunch, and go do something fun and different? It could be a trip to the museum, the cinema, an art gallery, the acquarium, botanical gardens, or even a wine tour. What does your mom love to do but never makes time for? When one of PGM's valued contributor's, Sidra Syed (see her upcoming feature in Vol.8, Welcome Home), sent over these photos taken while on a hike to Webster Falls in the Halton region of Ontario, it sparked this line of thought as I had been mulling around ideas to share for Mother's Day. The desire to get outdoors and just take a day off began blooming almost immediately, and suddenly I knew what I wanted to share. So, even at this late date (I'll admit, I haven't left you much time to plan), if you are still searching for an inspired idea to pamper your mother, perhaps this will be just the ticket. Find an area near you worth exploring, and set off for the day (or in case of foul weather include a nice card and a save the date). Take the opportunity to really be in the present, admire and wonder at your surroundings, and allow it to recharge and rekindle the special relationship you have with your mom. Happy Mother's Day to all of our readers, from one mom to another. And of course, a subscription to PGM is the perfect compliment, the gift that keeps coming for a year or more, and reminds her when it arrives that it's time for a couple of hours to herself. :)
[IMAGE-4]
