IMG_1379[1]A long time ago I read a book about the keys to financial happiness.  One of the interesting things it said was that money only provides more happiness and contentment up to a certain point.  If you are living at poverty level and don’t have enough money to take care of basic needs like food, shelter, transportation, more money definitely provides more happiness.  But at a certain level of income, it doesn’t make you happier, just makes you want to buy more “stuff.”  The author then went on to state that in terms of spending money, it is better to spend money on experiences rather than material things, because experiences give us memories that we can reflect on later and bring us happiness as well.

All of this comes up for me as I think about life choices of where we live and how we choose to spend our days.  I used to shy away from buying an annual ski pass, thinking the $360 or so was too much money.  But last year I ended up skiing almost 40 days, which works out to less than $10 a day, and when I consider all the wonderful experiences and memories I got from skiing last year, it then seems like a pretty good deal.  I think for me, our choice to live in the mountains, where we have access to tons of outdoor recreation within an hour of where we live, is also about the opportunity to fill my life with experiences that nurture my soul, and provide contentment on a regular basis.

The last piece of making memories for me is capturing it through writing and taking photos.  Perhaps one of the greatest things about smart phones is the ability to have a camera with you at all times.  I don’t claim to be a good photographer, but I am struck by certain scenes during my drives in the mountains, and frequently see something that I feel I must pull over to click off a few photos on my iPhone — clouds, leaves turning, a full moon, fall foliage.  The above photo was taken on a hike last week in Rocky Mountain National Park during a very brisk, windy and overcast day — not normally the type of day one would expect would be optimal for photography.  Yet the glazing of the ice, and the lighting made a really interesting picture, and brings me right back to the memory of the people I met, and the peace I felt walking the trail.

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