I read an article in the NY Times this weekend about how spending money on experiences makes you happier than spending money on stuff.  Having just bought a new house with my husband, Marc, this article, of course, made me immediate question whether I should have taken the down payment money and gone on a trip around the world, or finally invested in those surfing lessons in Baja. 

And then this weekend, we had some friends over for the first time at our new place, and it filled the house and my spirit with warmth.  To see people I love standing around the kitchen while eating, drinking, and connecting is exactly the kind of experience I seek here, there, and everywhere.  There were people meeting each other for the first time, babies exploring and dancing, and lots of echoing laughter.  As I think about the myriad of experiences I will have in this house - birthday celebrations, anniversaries, new connections with friends and neighbors, I realize that the investment isn't in just a thing, but in the experiences that will happen inside of it's space.  If my house can be a home, not just for me, but also for a community of people, I know it will bring me quite a bit of happiness in life.