19/12/2024
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 🌎✈️⛰
I think I am the weirdest person I know because whenever I hear that there’s a new iPhone, I don’t care. While others are raving and drooling over the latest gadgets and "stuff," in my head, I am planning my next trip. Whether it’s climbing a mountain or exploring a new country, I’d rather collect memories than things.
It wasn’t always like this. Growing up, I thought owning the latest gadgets or trendy clothes was the ultimate goal. But then I went on my first real adventure—a spontaneous weekend hike with friends—and it changed everything. Standing on a rocky summit, the wind in my face and the world below me, I felt a kind of joy no new gadget could ever give.
Since then, my priorities have shifted. I save not for the latest phone or fancy sneakers, but for plane tickets and travel itineraries. I’ve hiked breathtaking trails, watched fireflies in rice fields, and slept under a sky full of stars. But I’ve also wandered through centuries-old temples in Hong Kong, got lost in the bustling streets of Taiwan, and sipped coffee at a South Korea café while watching the world go by.
Traveling, whether to the mountains or across the globe, teaches you things that material possessions never could. I’ve learned resilience when a delayed flight almost ruined my trip, adaptability when I had to communicate with locals using only hand gestures, and humility when I witnessed how people in different parts of the world live with so little yet radiate so much happiness.
These experiences have filled my soul in ways that stuff never could. When I think back, I don’t remember the shoes I wore three years ago or the phone I used to own. But I do remember the thrill of riding a rides or bus from Malaysia to Singapore, the taste of authentic pad Thai in a small street stall, and the feeling of standing in front of the Colosseum, imagining the stories it holds.
Things fade, break, or become obsolete. But experiences? They live forever in your heart. That’s why, for me, the choice is easy. Life is about moments, not possessions. When given the option, I’ll always choose to invest in memories—memories that take me to the mountains, across oceans, and into the vast, beautiful unknown.
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