I have been thinking recently about the nature of adventure and the thin veil that separates the foolhardy from the genuinely adventurous.
I have pondered what makes the difference from an adventure to an ordeal? From a safe and boring trek to a real adventure that nourishes the Soul.
It would appear pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and your own abilities is key in captivating a spirit of adventure. If, upon setting off on any endeavour, you think that there will be no problems, no challenges and you know wholeheartedly that you’ll be able to complete the task: it may be enjoyable and fun but it’s not quite an adventure.
Adventure comes when what’s possible is considered and the edges of that are explored. I have often entered into events and made plans for adventure with a daunting thought at the back of my head. The thought that this might not work and I could land flat on my face or suffer the public humiliation of not completing an event.
In earlier days I fought against this feeling and did everything I possibly could to counter it. In later stages I noted that if there was none of this doubt and worry then the exhilaration and bliss of pulling a successful adventure off is missing. Without the lows of the valleys we cannot experience the bliss of the summit.
Push too far into the realms of risk tho and you enter the realms of the foolhardy. An at times dangerous place where the price of arrogance is often paid in bone and blood. The pilgrims along this path of recklessness are often to be found inhabiting the sofa for many months after appalling injury and never quite getting fully back into the game again.
Each person knows where their natural comfort level lies. For most, including myself, this level lies on the more conservative side of caution. This is quite a good quality for daily life and one which has served me well to date. It is, however, also at times an obstacle to the creation of an amazing adventure.
If your planning on an adventure anytime soon have a think about aiming that little bit higher and pushing that little bit harder. Going from the certainty of what’s possible and pushing the boundaries into the realm of exhilaration.
I can’t guarantee success everytime but I can guarantee that when you succeed the feeling of exhilaration will be much greater, and even if you don’t succeed you’ll have tried to push the boundaries and this has it’s own rewards.
Rusty Surginor
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