Needing Adventure

I think all of us long for adventure and yet we struggle to let go of the security of the known.  We dream of faraway places and interesting encounters and yet we daily go about the routine sameness of our lives.  Part of that is a financial issue, or is it?  Making it a financial issue says we are comfortable we can support ourselves and family within a familiar framework but, are unsure of doing so outside that known situation.

Adventure doesn't have to be a "vacation" to somewhere, it can be a life, or career, that takes us to those interesting places and situations as part of our vocational calling.  Think of Marco Polo.  He was a Trader and Merchant.  Think of Billy Graham who travelled the world following his calling.

Why do I think we all long for adventure?  We are enthralled by television shows, movies and books that depict the adventurous life of others.  I've always been a big James Bond fan -- "Bond, James Bond."  I think a lot of others must be too or there wouldn't have been so many movies about him made through the years.  I also enjoy Indiana Jones and Star Wars and the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings movies.  Those movies all are wildly popular and appeal to people across many walks of life.  They are adventures which essentially pit good against evil.

When I was a kid it was Westerns.  I've mentioned before that Roy Rogers was my hero.  I also enjoy John Wayne movies -- especially the Westerns and the War movies.  They were hero movies.  They were adventures.  They certainly weren't the angst ridden introspective monstrosities depicting some perceived social injustice that seem to get the awards these days.  Why do people watch those things?  Are we so guilt-ridden in our affluence that we seek to purge the devils within by sympathizing with causes depicting abnormality as normal?

I try to make a little adventure happen upon occasion.  I guess that's why I still do what might be considered stupid things -- like crossing the creek in the Polaris in the mud and several inches of water at a higher speed than necessary.  I'm old enough I should be acting staid and stolid (you might want to look it up -- it means calm and dependable) instead of like a 29 year old who is still trying to figure out which way is up.

Most folks delay the "adventures" until after they have established their "security" which equates to financial security.  The problem is, many never reach a level of financial security which allows for the world travel and adventures to occur and they are too old when they do to step very far outside their comfort zone when it happens.

Have I taken my own advice through the years?  Probably not, but I have read a lot of books that take me there vicariously....oh, well.