Defining Adventure

I chose “adventure” as my 2010 word and was recently giving it a bit of thought as I look at how I want to apply that word to my life. What exactly is considered an “adventure”? Traveling cross country via the back roads on a moped? Going on an archeological dig? Running with the bulls in Spain? Sure, those are adventures…and really I would love to have the adventure of that archeological dig but does a true adventure need to be on such a grand scale?

What about those simple moments when you are reading a book or watching a movie? That moment when your imagination takes hold and transports you into that scene and you feel emotionally what your mind is taking in. Adventure can be found in the colors of a painting, in the verse of a song, in the inspiration of others. An adventure can be a trek down the narrow path of the Grand Canyon on the back of a donkey or it could be when your heart opens up and lets a new person in. It doesn't have to be a physical experience because an emotional one can make your heart race with the same adrenaline.

While some may scoff, I have to say that one of my biggest blessings in life is the fact that I have a very active and vivid imagination. (My brother, Jeremy, does claim his is better, but I might argue the fact.) I love the fact that I can sit down with a book and lose myself in the pages, seeing the words come to life in my mind. I can lose myself in a movie and feel it. That, my friends, is just as much an adventure as if I were to actually be partaking in the action in the movie or book.

Helen Keller said:"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

When you wake in the morning you have a choice. You can go through your day feeling the same conviction that you go through every day or you can greet the morning with a vow that today you will see that adventure you had been turning a blind eye to. Sure it doesn't mean that you are going to suddenly buy a plane ticket and jet off to Seattle, Washington to attend the "Coming Home" DVD release party with New Kids on the Block (*whistles innocently*), but maybe you will take a different route to work and see something that you wouldn't normally see. It may be as simple as turning your face up to the sky and looking at the clouds rolling by and giving yourself a few extra minutes to have a silly day dream. But always remember the fact that the chance for adventure surrounds you every day, it just depends if you are going to let your mind accept it and embrace it.

(Disclaimer: No, I am not/did not go to Seattle. I thought about it...yeah, yeah...)