Zambia, 2005
When I was young, I dreamed that my adult life would be full of globetrotting adventures. Travel always fascinated me. I wanted to see the world, to live the life of a gypsy.
Now I find myself in quite a different life than what I once pictured. I have a family and a business keeping me more or less in one place. While I have the heart of a gypsy wanderer, my life appears fairly… “normal”.
It would be easy for me to see my daily existence as uninspired and dull- in fact, I have felt that way at times. I long for adventure and newness. One day quite recently I posted as my Facebook status that I was craving an adventure. My aunt, who has lived a thousand adventures and understands me well, commented that I am in one already.
This statement stopped me in my tracks, because there is so much truth in it. It’s a truth that I know, but too often forget: All of life can be an adventure if we choose to live it as one. If we are present in our daily lives and seek to live fully, each day can be exciting and new.
Romania, 2005
I actually first realized this while traveling overseas. In 2005, I spent three months in Eastern Europe. It was a wonderful adventure, and yet, I remember being surprised by the fact that I felt so much the same there as I did here at home. I think I had expected to feel like a different person when I was living the adventures of my dreams- somehow more cultured, sophisticated, worldly, or brave. Yet I was still just me, in a different place, experiencing different things. I knew then that while I still love to travel (and still plan to as much as I possibly can), life can be exciting, or dull, anywhere I might find myself, because the true adventure is within me.
Treasure found close to home.
Here are some ways I have been choosing to make life an adventure right where I am:
• Explore our own town as a family. When my husband isn’t working, we love to go on mini-adventures. We discover places right where we live that we have never been before.
• Make it a point to learn something new every day, however small.
• Try new things as often as possible.
• Greet each day as a gift and an opportunity to live fully.
• Take risks, be a little daring- even be a tiny bit naughty on occasion. Anything out of the norm brings a new element of excitement to life.
• Bring a camera everywhere I go, and use it. Journal about my daily life and my reactions to it. Document the adventure.
From one of our recent local adventures.
“To live, is an awfully big adventure.” ~from Peter Pan
I first heard that quote so long ago, and never completely internalized its meaning until recently. Truly life itself is the greatest adventure.
I encourage you to choose a mindset of adventure, wherever you might be. Your inner gypsy heart will sing.
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