Don't Forget to Live

I’ve got family visiting from Canada at the moment - my mom’s annual visit and my second cousin’s first European tour.  A couple of days ago I took them both to Windsor Castle.  While we were there I couldn’t help but notice that so many people were going through the motions of what they thought they should be seeing, without actually experiencing it.  Several (rather rude) tourists pushed to the front to get a photo of the changing of the guard without listening to the band, or really understanding what was happening.  Even more people brushed past Queen Mary’s Doll House without more than a tertiary glance.  They had no appreciation for the details and work put into it by the many designers and craftsmen of their day.  

Why do people feel the need to tick the box to say they’ve been somewhere without actually taking any of it in?  What is more important - ticking a box or living an experience?  We all need to embrace life while we can, because who knows what’s around the corner.