In the words of Oscar Wilde, “Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.” When it comes to determining a gift for someone, sometimes a physical object or trinket isn’t the best option. How many gifts have you received in the past that you never used? How many gifts have you given that are actually enjoyed? How can a gift be truly valued by the receiver?
Well experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing, it doesn’t just occur out of thin air. You have to go and actually do something, or have something done to you, in order to receive it. Sometimes people don’t make an earnest attempt to actually live. They refuse to go outside of their comfort zone to find new and wondrous things in this world. In short, they don’t experience life to its fullest.
Before you buy your next gift for someone you should truly consider what that person might enjoy. Chances are you’ll soon realize that whatever toy, widget, or object you were thinking of giving isn’t actually that great of a gift after all. Of course this isn’t always the case, but a great number of gifts can be outgrown, broken, lost, or forgotten. Most people value good memories and positive life experiences much higher than personal possessions and novelty items. A thousand people can have the exact same item, but an experience is personal and one of a kind. Let’s take a surprise birthday party for example. What is remembered most? The surprise of family and friends, the celebration, spending time with loved ones, or the piles of wrapped gifts?
If you were asked to tell of a time when you were certainly happy, it probably wouldn’t be when you received that pretty new sweater for Christmas, or even upon being gifted that new car for your 16th birthday. There is no doubt; some gifts are indeed awesome, such as a new car. However, there is no object in this world that can replace good company and life experiences. The purpose of life isn’t to accumulate objects is it? It’s to live. For that reason one of the best gifts you can give is the gift of experience, especially experiences shared with others.
3 Reasons Why Rafting Makes for A Great Experience Gift
There are 3 good reasons that make Whitewater Rafting a great experience gift: The inherent adventure of rafting, the valued memories it creates with friends and loved ones, and the real world experience it gives in this digital age.
Adventure
Without a doubt, whitewater rafting is exciting, thrilling, and gets the adrenaline pumping. For someone who has never experienced it before, chances are it will be one of the most adventurous things they’ve ever done. This is especially true for multi-day trips where they truly get to experience the excitement of the outdoors beyond a few hours and, of course, depends on the actual river chosen. Some rivers or certain sections can be rather lazy in nature, which are great for younger or older folks. But if given the real paddle gripping, white-knuckle experience of a more difficult river, it’s an experience, and a gift, that won’t soon be forgotten.
Shared Time and Memories Created
One of the best parts about giving experience gifts is that the gift giver can experience them as well. Friends and family can join and this often makes the experience all the better if they do. Time on the river gives people a break from their hectic daily lives, and allows them to fully be in the moment while enjoying themselves in the process.
Being able to share in that with them is meaningful. Having fun, trying something new or daring, going outside of what their normal daily expectations may be, is something to be cherished and remembered for a long time. Many times a whitewater rafting trip won’t be forgotten and I’m sure you can recall a few cherished memories yourself.
Real World Experience… Not Virtual
If the gift receiver rarely ventures outdoors into nature, they will literally sit in awe as they gaze at their surroundings. Some people tend to forget that the natural beauty of this world around rivers is well worth the journey to go view and explore it. Usually, you don’t get the whole picture viewing Earthporn online, such as the sights, sounds, taste, and feel of being present outdoors. Experiencing these scenes in real life is much more moving and meaningful to a person than viewing it through a computer screen.
How many hours a day do you typically spend staring at a screen? Most of our daily lives are predominantly virtual, from shopping to banking, and socializing to working. Most of what we experience in a day occurs with a screen no more than a foot in front of our faces. An experience gift of whitewater rafting would change that and perhaps pump a little life back into the people going. Being outdoors and seeing the world with your own two eyes has oddly become something you have to coax people into doing. An experience gift is a great way to coax people into trying something new, different, and outdoors.
There is more to giving a gift than wrapping a box and handing it over. Giving a gift is an opportunity to really show that you care for someone, and that they are worth giving a gift to in the first place.
Don’t discount that idea and try to consider something that is sure to surprise. A guided whitewater rafting trip is only one such idea, and there are countless others. Horseback riding tours, zip lining adventures, scuba diving lessons, skydiving… there are many options. You just have to be clever, be thoughtful, and you’re gift will no doubt be sure to surprise and amaze. Who knows, perhaps we’ll even see you on the river soon.
At Wilderness Aware Rafting, our utmost passion is being the best river rafting guides we can be. This ensures we offer the best service to our customers year after year. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available. If by chance you care to try and be a river guide yourself, you can send us your inquiries as well!
