I had an interesting realization the other day. I am seeing some interesting perspectives change as I get older. Not too long ago, as a significant day of celebration (birthday or Christmas) started creeping into view, I remember people around me would start to ask me what gift I wanted. It started in early childhood when those days were about what toy, bicycle or camera I would like to possess. Over time this material perspective would be the focus of my thoughts as it surrounded the way celebration would happen on these special days.

Over time, I have seen myself change significantly to the opposite direction. I no longer think of the celebration as a collection of possessions, but instead, the focus has become sharper on the relationships and the people I like to spend time with. The engagement of conversation and interaction has pushed the material world aside and become a significantly greater priority. In some ways, this seems to have happened over night, but I think that our age and culture seems to be shifting as well.

As a teenager, I was beginning my love for music and my record collection was the focus of the holiday celebration. I remember always having a wish list of records, eventually CDs, that I wanted to own and would have the list at the ready for anyone who needed to buy me a gift. One year for Christmas, my cool Uncle Denny bought me several albums: Deep Purple - Machine Head, Alice Cooper - Greatest Hits, Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, Uriah Heep - Magicians Birthday and the Beach Boys Live. Interesting how I see my musical taste was changed forever after listening to all those endlessly. But one thing that was there way back in the mid-70s was the fun I had listening to them with my two best buddies, Greg and Gary. We would listen and play air guitar and drums and sing along on many days consumed by this eclectic group of bands.

I realize now that I am still very fond of those recordings, but what mattered most was the interaction with friends as we listened and discussed the music in all its infinite elements. As I look back to those wonder years, I am starting to see that even then the relationships were a key element in what made those times so memorable.

It's all about the relationships you make and the people you meet that seem to be what really does matter most. Not the number of records or the possessions but the ability to interact, communicate and grow as a person.

*We're taking editor liberty here and sneaking in a note that it's Bob's Birthday today. Feel free to swamp him with Birthday messages. :)