Different Strokes

A few days ago, I had a chance to get some brand new, brand name skis for The Boy, cheap. At 75% off. I was tempted. But in the end, I declined.

I couldn't see the practical value of The Boy owning skis right now. As I am cleaning out the house and shed, and calling in charity agencies to cart away our excess clutter, I didn't want to have skis around that I have to polish and store. Not when The Boy has not committed to ski lessons this year.

But that got me to thinking that I may have different values than most of my fellow pilgrims on the road of life. Given that we live in a consumer-oriented society where acquisition of goods is a common goal, I think it's unusual to turn down a bargain. And this is not the first "deal" I rejected.

One Christmas, my brother-in-law offered The Boy the newest Play Station system on the market. I was adamant in refusing it. Instead, I accepted for The Boy a scooter, which gets him moving around, outside.

I reasoned that The Boy had enough computerized and electronic gadgetry to sabotage his time and keep him nerdy. I didn't need one more thing to yell at him about. I didn't want to support a system where acquisition of the latest fad game is a way of life. I did agree that every six months or so, I would take him and a friend to the then Playdium, where for $25 each, they could play video and arcade games for half a day.

A friend said at the time, three visits to Playdium would cost me $150. That would pay for the Play Station and more. It didn't make economic sense for me to choose Playdium over a home system. I said, Over the long term, it would cost me monetarily. But that's my investment in family harmony. For the sake of our family unity - elimination of causes that make me yell at The Boy and spending more time together, it was a bargain.

To reduce distraction and open up opportunities for quality time, The Man and I discontinued our cable service several years back. We realized we were spending more time with the TV than with each other. Oh The Boy complains of being deprived, but that hasn't stopped him from knowing about all the reality shows on TV, and this year, from introducing his cabled and satellited friends to The Family Guy, Lost, Alias, The Amazing Race and Desperate Housewives.

Nor has he ever been in the dark about Play Station and Nintendo games. Nor does he lack skiing skills. So do we really need to own anything? I think I hear the Nomads calling from their caravans.