Wildness, as Thoreau calls it - I am not sure I can really capture what it feels like for me in words (but I’ll try)- the sense of freedom and home I get when I climb into Goose (our 1995 Land Cruiser) at the start of a trip. After all the work and craziness of preparation - the sudden calm. One last check that the food has been packed, the tools are where they should be, running again through all the lists in my head. I finally stop scurrying around and hop in the passenger seat (even though I have plenty of driving experience / certifications I truly enjoy being a passenger...to certain drivers), do another quick mental checklist….Then comes the long exhale, followed by the deep inhale, taking in the smell of ol’ Goose, which in and of itself is relaxing to me. The noises, just the higher seating position, it all adds to my experience. I look over and see the smile, that smile, my favorite smile, the one that gives me butterflies, and my heart is happy. Off we go. Letting everything melt away. Freedom, adventure, simplicity. I love it!
I will admit it often takes me until we are out of town, have survived traffic(see below), and finally hit dirt to really relax.
We made it. I can forget about the stresses of everyday life for a bit. I do not have to worry about contracts and deadlines, how many emails are building in my inbox, or what bills need to be paid.
”We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.””
~Thoreau~
I need wildness, I need to experience something that is not microwavable, instant, prepackaged, or just a picture on my screen (although I do enjoy these things). I need to get outside!
My favorite adventures are for sure crawling into Goose and heading out, but I cannot discount our “little” adventures throughout the week. The ones that keep me going until the next weekend. For me just exploring the mountain preserve 5 minutes from our home is an adventure. We can hike, bike, run, walk, we can find a mountain to sit on top of and look down at the world, feeling above it all and far away, even if just for a few minutes. It is rejuvenating and you never know what nature has in store.
We have to try hard to keep adventure in our daily lives. A lot of people comment that we are so lucky (we are!) throughout both of our circumstances in life we have each found ways to have adventure, sometimes big and sometime VERY small. We are just two very average normal people finding our adventure. We do not have a lot of money to fund these adventures, we have an old truck (which we love) and yes, we have lots of someday dreams but we never let all of that stop us from the right now adventures. It is almost never easy, but always worth it.
An adventure is an adventure no matter how small!
Previous: Fatal Distractions... | Next: Wandering the Southwest Part I