THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING
What are some of your favorite memories growing up? Are they material items that you had or are they vacations you went on, camps that you went to, sports you played, friends you hung out with, or adventures you went on? Were any of your favorite memories spending time in nature, going on hikes, biking, playing at the beach, fishing, tubing, skiing, or just spending time at the lake?
Imagine driving your favorite brand new car off the dealership lot. You are so proud of that car and you want to show it off to everyone. You post pictures of it and brag about it to everyone you know. You probably take really good care of it and baby it a little (or a lot). But as the years go by and each little scratch, ding, stain, and mileage that gets added, it starts to lose its value. I’m guessing you even start to not care about it quite as much as you once did. Your pride for that car is not at the same level it was when you drove it off the lot, brand new. So not only did the monetary value go down but so did the sentimental value.
Now imagine taking a week-long family vacation at a cabin on a lake. You go fishing, swimming, hiking, sight-seeing, shopping, golfing, ect. The possibilities are endless. Or maybe you just stay in your cozy little cabin to relax, enjoy the peace and quiet, read, and watch the sunrise every morning and sunset every night. If you have kids and you take them along, there will be times when you wonder why you chose to do this and why you thought it was a good idea to drive that long with kids that can’t stop fighting. It might drive you crazy and think you would probably never do that again. That is until next year. And as the years go by and you look back at those vacations from several years ago, do you remember all the fights in the car or kids complaining or the fish that didn’t bite or the rainy days you were stuck inside? Or do you remember the good times playing on the beach, swimming in the water when the kids actually got along for the first time in forever, teaching your kids how to fish or drive the boat for the first time, taking those sunset cruises, the potluck nights, the kids’ activities, the stories around the campfire, playing games and just spending quality time with your family. As the years go by and you look back at all these wonderful memories made you wouldn’t trade it for the world. For some reason when looking back the challenging parts seem to be not so challenging or may even be a little comical at times and the happy memories are what sticks the best and make it worthwhile.
The point I wanted to get across in these two examples is that material things tend to go down in monetary and sentimental value over time whereas experiences tend to go up in sentimental value over time. Memories from certain experiences are priceless and a gift that keeps on giving.
Making memories creates nostalgia, or remembering something from the past and wishing you could experience it again. Something that brings mostly happy memories of past events. Studies show that nostalgia makes us feel happier, have higher self-esteem, feel closer to loved ones, create more life meaning, increase optimism, boost our mood, reduce stress, feel loved and valued. It creates those warm fuzzy feelings, and may also help us deal with transitions.
Many of our family-run Minnesota Resorts have been helping families make memories for over 100 years. It’s tradition, it’s nostalgia, it’s a gift that keeps on giving and adding sentimental value year after year.
Submitted by Beth Klinski
Photo Credit: Knotty Pine Resort
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