Blessed Are The Curious

I once read something that described each year as a chapter in the book of our lives, with each of the 365 days as pages in which we choose which direction our book will unfold. And while that may sound rather cliche, I quite like the idea of having each day to decide what I'm going to do, where I'm going to go, and who I'm going to be.

This past year, I've had more time than usual to think about my future. I'm graduating from college in a year and I've yet to see the world outside my own. I'm 20 years old and I can't help but feel like I am so small in comparison to the rest of the outside world. Oh sure, I've made plans to travel, to soak up as much culture and experience as I can before I'm too old and busy to think about big adventures. But the more I think about what lies ahead, the more anxious I become about all of my dreams and aspirations slipping out of my ambitious fingers.

I say that because we've been taught since we were toddlers that our main concern in life should be "getting a good job with benefits" and "finding the right person" and "becoming a contributing member of society." Our elders want what's best for us, of course, but who decided that settling was the ultimate goal? What happened to the American Dream, the idea that everyone who is well and able should do whatever it takes to chase their dreams and find their own success?

Well, Uncle Sam and the rest of society can go take a flying leap. Because in all honesty, thinking about the future is depressing. And depressed isn't how I want to feel when I make plans or consider what might be coming next. I don't want to have a 5-year plan, or think about 401k plans, or worry about just paying the bills. And while I understand that survival in this fast-paced world takes responsibility and hard work, I've always felt that there is something more to life than just existing day by day (or paycheck to paycheck). 

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of security. But I don't think having a plan is all it's cracked up to be. After all, planning for the future can only get you so far. Life is uncertain and ever-changing. And while I don't recommend completely living on the edge (since living is technically the goal), I think life deserves more spontaneity, more adventure.

Have you ever been going about your business shopping for groceries or reading a book or chatting with your friends and you suddenly get a longing deep in your bones to drop everything, get on a plane, and just go somewhere? I have. Many times. So many times, in fact, that my thirst for adventure can finally be made into a reality. So I'm planning a trip to Ireland in May of 2016. I've saved and planned and researched for almost two years and the fact that the number one item on my bucket list is about to be crossed off makes all of my hard work and anticipation worthwhile. 

I'm not telling you this to make you envious, but rather, to let you know that adventure is possible, regardless of what others say or what you may see as your limitations. When I tell people about my dreams of traveling and exploring, I often get told to stop wishing my life away. And while it's rather annoying that so many people don't understand why I want the things that I want, I know that I don't have to validate myself (especially my goals) for anyone. 

So I want to let you know that it's okay to want adventure and excitement. It's okay to have doubts about what society "wants" for you. It's okay to be a dreamer. And it's okay to live your life exactly like you want. Maybe for you, adventure is becoming a CEO of an important company. Or maybe it's paragliding in South Africa. Or maybe it's preforming brain surgery. Or maybe it's getting married and starting a family. Regardless of what it is that you dream of, please don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone (and the opinions of others) and truly go for it. Whatever it may be.

I think that more often than not, we pack away our big dreams and fantasies into neat little boxes and shove them under our metaphorical beds because we've been tricked into thinking adventure is what irresponsible/flighty/unpredictable people want. But I think it can't be stressed enough how short life really is. After all, when you're  97 years old and your great-grandson asks you what you did in your lifetime, what are you going to have to say for yourself? So do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Because your adventure is out there and it is just as achievable as anyone else's.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known"

-Carl Sagan

Just Say Yes

I literally cannot count the times I have let fear, anxiety, doubt, or uncertainty hold me back from doing or accepting things that have the potential of being life-changing or positive. I consider myself a practical person and while I've never been someone who sees the negative in every situation, I often deny myself the opportunity to move outside my comfort zone and experience life in a different way.

Recently, I've come to the decision that I want to say "Yes!" to more things in life. I have a crippling fear of growing older, looking back on my youth and saying, "I really wish I'd done that." What kind of person would I be, what kind of legacy would I leave if all I can say is that I lived day to day? A life unfulfilled would be my greatest disappointment and I'm making a promise to myself, here and now, to try new things regardless of how uncomfortable or frightened I may be.

I want to ride a roller coaster. I want to eat a bug. I want to see the Northern Lights. I want to sing karaoke. I want to hold a snake. I want to visit all 50 states. I want to go deep sea diving. I want to be an extra in a movie. I want to drink wine in Paris. I want to pet an elephant. I want to fall in love.

But most importantly, I want my life to have meaning. And while true fulfillment can only come from God, the power of simply saying yes cannot be denied. It's cliche, but the fact that we only get one life is true and every person has an inalienable right to happiness. You have a minimum amount of chances to do anything and everything you want. So why not choose to see the good stuff? Live the life you have imagined for yourself so that when it is all said and done, you will have the satisfaction of a life truly lived.

I'm not going to wait for my life to begin. I'm not going to sit quietly and let life pass me by. I'm going to embrace the unknown. I'm going to throw caution to the wind.

I'm going to say "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"The big question is whether you're going to be able to say a hearty 'yes' to your next big adventure?"

-Joseph Campbell

Veni Vidi Vici

"I came. I saw. I conquered."

The three words Julius Caesar spoke of in regards to his success in the conquering of Britain alluded to the fact that nothing was impossible for Rome and its armies. And while it is generally used as a metaphor for other's accomplishments, I can't help but feel that this particular Latin phrase describes my desire to explore the world.

Of course, in order for me to be able to do that, I have to leave the country first. Or the South for that matter. But here's the thing: while I've been exposed to the literature and art and languages of the outside world, I've never had the opportunity to travel and see those things for myself. In fact, I've never even flown on a plane.

Living in the South for twenty years has given me the tools and opportunities to become a well-rounded, educated young woman. The warmth and love so abundant here has shown me why so many Americans choose to never leave the place of their birth. And while the benefits of growing up a Southerner far outweigh the disadvantages, it nevertheless has its drawbacks.

The most frustrating of these hindrances is the feeling one gets of being trapped, a sense of constant claustrophobia, of being surrounded by ignorance and the belief that the outside world holds no appeal. There's a choking fear of realization that's similar to being behind a glass wall with the world whirling by in front of you in all its exciting glamour. All you can do is scream and beat your fists against the glass but no one is able to hear you.
While that particular metaphor might seem a bit dramatic, those feelings can be immensely overwhelming for someone who has as intense of a wanderlust as I do. However, since attending a college with a large population of foreign students, I've been exposed to different cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life that I would have otherwise known nothing about. And because of this exposure, my lust to see the world has only increased.

I've decided that, like Caesar, nothing is impossible if I want it badly enough. I refuse to have regrets in life, especially when opportunities to go and see are staring me blatantly in the face. Thus, I've begun to organize and plan several overseas trips that I want to embark on in the next couple of years. I want to begin with a 10-day trip to Ireland in May of 2015. From there? Who knows. What's important is that I've decided to let nothing hold me back, especially the voices of others telling me that what I want isn't acceptable. I'll go where I see fit. 

"Oh Darling, let's be adventurers!"
-Fifi du Vie