What’s something everyone should experience at least once in their life?

What’s something everyone should experience at least once in their life?

46 thoughts on “What’s something everyone should experience at least once in their life?

  1. That thing some people do, of waking up and be exited for the day to come, that sounds nice

  2. Being in a poor part of a third world country. We have all seen poverty on TV, but it is a very different thing when you are standing in the middle of it. You then realise how lucky you are.

  3. What it’s like to work a busy shift at a restaurant – can be any role, waiting tables, bussing, cooking, hosting. Everyone should have one evening where you are trying to serve and cater to dozens of people at once. You should know how it feels to bring someone the wrong dish or spill a glass on someone. You should know how it feels to work hard af and get no tip, get told to take something back like it’s your fault, all the normal things that happen during a busy shift.

    By having that experience, you will have a permanently different view of going out to eat, and you will be a kinder, more accepting and patient customer.

  4. As an American, an extended stay in a foreign country. Being stationed in Europe for several years was mind-blowing. You really cannot grasp the completely sheltered, ethno-centric bubble that we Americans live in until you are able to spend some extended time outside of it. Also, as an American it is difficult to grasp how truly ancient Europe is, and similarly, I noticed that non-Americans have difficulty grasping how truly enormous America is.

    Hunting, fishing, gardening, gathering, whatever it takes to supply yourself with a food source, independently, for at least a few days. It really opens your eyes to the time and labor required to feed one person, let alone billions. It also makes you acutely aware of the delicate balance we live each day with food supplies.

    Experiencing a major sporting event in person. For me, the most important memorable ones were football, both European and American. I was fortunate enough to experience the World Cup in Germany and have been to several NFL games in the U.S. It is incredible to be in a massive arena with 80,000 other humans, feeling the energy, feeling the ground shake. It gives you a bit of insight to what it must have been like in the Roman heydays of the Coliseum. It also helps you to grasp the enormity of a natural disaster, when you see what such a large number of people actually looks like.

    I could go on for days, lol

  5. I have two. One is seeing a starry night sky, no clouds, no light pollution, just a beautiful night sky. Or better yet, the northern lights. Second is seeing the view from a mountain peak. People always talk about how ugly the world is, but I think these two things really remind you of how beautiful earth is too.

  6. On road trips through the Midwest, I play a game called Transition. It’s where we try to find a cow “in transition” which means the cow is either getting up or sitting down.

    Think about it. You always see cows sitting or standing. Have you ever seen a cow get up or sit down?

    Now go and have “fun” with that, Reddit.

  7. Gratitude for being alive.
    And i don’t mean it like after a near death experience. Im talking about the epiphany you get doing the simplest task or after a bad day. The sudden realization of being alive and be able to feel however you’re feeling at the moment is something everyone should experience and be grateful of.

  8. Contentment and security. Not necessarily full happiness, but satisfaction in your own life, and safety within it.

    Something that a great many of us don’t actually have.

  9. Heartbreak…it sucks and is one of the absolute worst feelings you can imagine but it helps if you experience that younger in life rather than at say 60 because it helps you grow as a person!

  10. Go camping. Spend some time in the wilderness with no electronics, no demands and (hopefully) no stress; just detach from the modern world for a short while and enjoy the return to nature.

  11. Witnessing a total solar eclipse

    Totally life changing. Even having a full understanding of what is happening, I totally get how people over the millennia would find this to be an omen from the gods.

  12. Everyone should experience the joys of traveling to a foreign land at least once in their lifetime, even if it’s just to realize how much they love their own toilet. Imagine discovering new cultures, cuisines, and the thrill of trying to communicate with locals using just charades and a phrasebook. Trust me, it’s a life-changing experience that’ll give you a new appreciation for your home and a killer accent to boot.

  13. Another culture. And I don’t mean as a tourist where you have all the comforts of home. To fully absorb and immerse yourself in the lives of that culture. To eat their foods, drink their drinks, and do as they do.

  14. I have a weird one….when someone is in hospice and needs 24-hour care, if possible, take them into your home, learn all you can about what to do so you don’t need hospice coming out whenever something comes up.

    We did this for my mother as she died of pancreatic cancer back in 2010 and my kids (6 and 9 at the time) got to see and experience a loved ones death. They saw it wasn’t scary or anything to be afraid of. They learned the true meaning of compassion, love, humility, and respect.

    I consider it an honor and a privilege to have taken care of my mom while she was on her death bed.

  15. Even if it’s only for a short period of time: full financial independence, while being single. You can pay your own bills, you have your own place, and you have full freedom over your free time. Whether it’s staying in and binge watching Netflix, or going out and sitting amongst strangers. Your time is your own. No kids. No spouse or significant other. I find this is when you really get to know and understand yourself.

  16. Working a minimum or entry level job as a first job especially when young.

    It really makes you appreciate money and interactions with people because it sucked and you got so little of anything even less some respect.

    Hell you even get to treat the people that work those jobs nicer because you were them once.

  17. The sound of it snowing. I laid on the ground, in the snow at night in the Alaskan wilderness, in December, it’s so peaceful ❄️

  18. Being well and absolutely disconnected. No phones, no GPS. I last had that experience in the early 90s. Being somewhere with someone you trust and the two of you are the only people who know where you are and what you are doing.

  19. Getting to baggage claim and having your bag come out first. The small but mighty micro victory.

  20. The absence of financial stress. The impact it has on every part of your well-being is astonishing.

  21. The silence when you’re in the middle of the Woods and it start snowing, most peacefull fealing i know.

  22. The energy of a concert.

    Tens of thousands of people excited, vibing in unison and just so fuc*ing happy to be alive.

    I’ve been to a couple of concert just to experience that vibe.

  23. Reading a book so good you can’t fall asleep without reading a new chapter, and to feel slightly sad when you finish it.

  24. A dance without thinking about others

    A moment of spiritual peace such that time goes unnoticed

    A book that you like so much that you finish it in a few hours

    A deep, spontaneous conversation with a stranger that makes you revaluate your choices

    A beer with a friend you haven’t seen in years

    A moment with your mom where she tells you how it was when she was young

    A moment with your dad where he tells you he loves you

    An unexpected smile from someone in the street that makes you smile back when you were having a bad day

    A challenging situation that you handle, making you feel strong and capable

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