Adventure (Noun): an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks.
Adventure (Noun): an exciting or remarkable experience
Adventure (Verb): to take the risk (definitions from Merriam Webster)
I really like the word adventure. It's fun, exciting, and it shows that you're willing to tackle something new. Through the past couple years, I found I like to be challenged with new tasks. New things that will push me to be better and introduce me to new places, people and experiences. Now, not all adventures have to be grand. Oftentimes we can idolize adventures and adventurers. ADVENTURE only happens when you travel far from home. ADVENTURE only happens in instagrammable moments that all your friends not having an ADVENTURE will be copiously jealous of. ADVENTURE is attainable only by a select few.
I have a strong belief that adventure is what you make of it. Adventure can be a trip to the local coffee shop to meet up with a friend or working on a hobby. Saying your on an adventure brings some excitement and helps avoid humdrum boredom. Adventure causes you to look again at the world around you. All of a sudden, things are new, things are different, and things are exciting.
Adventure contains an atmosphere of youth. Who doesn't remember riding down the driveway and feeling like you would take on the world? When did that end? When did we decide that it was better to blend in the background? Growing up doesn't mean you have to grow dull. Rather growing up should also include us growing outward. We should grow outward into our communities. If everyone grows outward, eventually we will overlap. Our communities will only grow stronger if we are willing to connect with each other.
Adventure is full of color. I believe the world deserves more color. The world needs more people willing to try something different. Driving around the suburbs of different communities all the houses look the same. They're all the same size, shape, color and share the same lawn decorations. I'm often reminded of a scene in "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. Not long after the main characters land on the planet Camazotz they encounter a world of rigid uniformity. Everything happens within that uniform structure. Any deviation results in punishment from IT. What is keeping us from breaking away from that uniformity? Are we afraid of being called wEiRd? differenT? STRAnGe? Riding my bike has helped to reaffirm to me that the world and all of of who live on it are weird, different, strange, and that's OK!
So what's keeping you from having an adventure. As I said, adventure is what you make of it. Get out there. Be awesome..
'till next time
-Matt
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