What I’ve learned about adventure is that it’s really just taking that first step into the abyss. Trust your dream, the system that’s holding you up, hang on and walk off the ledge. You might even have to close your eyes and scream a little, but believe me, when you get to the other side you are gonna want some high fives. And you’re gonna want to do it again.
But I have to say that sometimes just getting up in the morning and doing life is adventurous. And really, if you look at it that way, it not only broadens your definition of the word, it makes for more things to celebrate. And embracing and celebrating past accomplishments is key to living the adventurous life. Every try builds on the next. The Hawaii zip line had five lines, each one longer and over deeper canyons. They would not have started us on the crazy long and high one! Like working up your courage for the next zip line, life is always preparing you for the next thing. You can walk in to that new health club for the first time because you’ve done it before and you know in two or three times you’ll know the equipment and realize you don’t look that much different that everyone else. You can start a new job because you know you’ll eventually become comfortable with the new tasks and surroundings. You can take a big trip because you know the small trips you’ve taken have been pretty doable and really it’s just a bit of planning, a lot of flexibility and a willingness to get lost that makes a big trip a success.
Sometimes adventure happens when you’re not really looking or planning for it. Something beyond your control happens and then in retrospect you say “whoa, that was wild ride.” Those are the milestones, the stakes in the ground, the roadmap that opens the way for future adventures. I was given the hand of having a special needs child with a complex heart defect and unpredictable life expectancy. I’ve had surgery waiting room adventures, CPR in the backyard adventures, passing basic math in school adventures. But I’m still here (and so is he). I made it through those things and have beautiful battle scars on my soul to prove it. So now when I face the uncertainties of future challenges, when I don’t think I’m brave enough, or smart enough, or courageous enough, I hear my little battle-weary heart voice say, “Hey, you’ve been brave enough to hear bad news from doctors, smart enough to figure out how to live with a new, scary reality, courageous enough to get up every morning and love those around you when there were days when you wanted to stay in bed and cry. Surely you can do a cross country RV trip, or re-enter the workplace after 20 years, or get in that small plane and solo.” I don’t wish my extreme “adventure” on anyone, but we’ve all had crap beyond our control roll into our life. The bad breakup, the death of someone we’ve known, being fired or laid off from the job we really needed. You’re still here. That makes you an adventuring goddess! And then, like the Nike ad once said, just do it. Those are brilliant words and a mantra that I use all the time. Can’t step off the platform of the zip line course? Just do it. You’ve just got to take that first step and then the adventure begins. Hold on and scream a little if you want!
