Every now and then, I see my high school friends sharing memories from high school, followed by, "Man, we're so old." In those moments, I chuckle to myself.
For me, the adventure is only beginning.
It reminds me of the Pixar film, Up. Carl and Ellie bond over "Paradise Falls" in South America and how they both want to explore that area. But as they get older, other things distract them from their adventure. After complications with pregnancy, Ellie and Carl decide to save their spare change to afford a trip to Paradise Falls.
Again, life gets in the way—a flat tire, medical bills—and the spare change pays for those expenses.
Finally, Ellie's life is coming to an end, and she slides her Adventure Book across the hospital bed to Carl.
While he takes the book, he doesn't accept the adventure. Not until he's stuck between moving into a retirement home and fleeing the area for somewhere else.
Only then does he choose adventure.
How many of us have dreams, even a bucket list, of things we want to do? How many have you checked off in the last five years?
I understand that much of that comes down to privilege—those who can afford bucket list trips are the only ones capable of taking them.
But when was the last time you had any sort of adventure?
My motto in recent years has been, "Either write something worth doing or do something worth writing." It's that reminder to continue to see adventure.
And not all adventure needs to come from your bucket list.
Not everyone can afford a European vacation, a trip to Disney World, or a beachfront resort.
That's OK.
When was the last time you explored your hometown?
I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As a child, I took a history tour through Lancaster with my brother's Boy Scout group. We saw the printing presses, went behind the scenes of the Fulton Opera House, saw Lancaster Central Market.
I have to say, I couldn't tell you a thing from that trip.
Adventure is usually defined as something exciting, but usually involves some level of risk. But I don't think risk is necessary to adventure. I think simple exploration is an adventure.
I always find traveling to be an adventure.
Finding hidden gems in my community is an adventure as well as a discovery.
My family has an adventure book, just like Carl and Ellie's. While it holds photos of our trips around Europe, it also has photos of our family at local festivals, getting snacks from the bakery down the street, visiting a wild park not far from home.
Those trips only cost us a few euros, but the memories are worth so much more.
Pull up a map of your home state, close your eyes, and put your finger on a random spot on the map. Go there. See what's there. Ask around at a restaurant to find something the locals say you should do.
Go hiking at a nature trail near your home.
Take your kids to the closest children's museum.
Take a tour of your state government building.
Get a map of historical sites in your hometown and check them out.
It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. It doesn't have to come from your bucket list. Simply go and make memories.
And in the meantime, put away any dollars or spare change for the big adventures you dream of taking someday.
Believe me, adventure truly is out there.
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