The Young and the Restless

Recently, I've been getting a lot of comments along the lines of, "You sure are having a lot of adventures," and "I could never do anything like that." Generally these remarks come from coworkers or friends of my parents, usually in passing, and my answers are usually limited to "Yup," and "Maybe." Yet a much more detailed response is always brewing in my tumultuous mind. I present it to you now, anonymous Internet spirit, because I know you shall haunt me eternally if you are not appeased.

When confronted with these unsolicited assertions, part of me is inclined to agree, however humbly. It's nice to think of oneself as a Romantic hero(ine), roaming the earth, seeking new quests with each step. Compared to the "average" American, my most recent life choices are quite adventurous. Consider the population as a whole - what percentage of people actually set out to hike the Appalachian Trail? I'd say a pretty damn small one; an even smaller one if you only count those who reach Maine. How many people sign up to live in a camper in the Arizona desert? Not a whole lot. I've taken a few steps off the well-beaten path of college >> grad school (optional) >> career. That's not to say that one day I won't settle into the creature comforts of Middle America, but I'm not taking the straightest route from Point A to Point B. I'll take the road where surprise and danger lurk around every corner!

However, another part of me instinctively disagrees with such hasty, declarative statements. While picturing myself as an adventure-seeker can be quite a self-esteem boost, this was not my major motivation in pursuing these travels. I didn't decide to hike the AT because of some life-long ambition or a great disillusionment with modern society. I hiked it simply because I needed something to do after graduation. As mentioned before, some people might pursue another degree, some people might enter the workforce, some people might even sit around and wait to marry into a rich family. I was not particularly interested in any of these options. I would have found something to do, no matter what, but it just so happened that my totally awesome friend, Becka, was way ahead of me on the trail thing, leading to a thought process similar to the following:

"Hey, when Becka hiked the AT that seemed pretty fun. Plus, I could make a trip like that last for quite awhile without a huge amount of money. Sounds like as good a plan as any!"

The air of excitement and peril that came along with such a decision was just an added benefit. I, like most of my peers at the time, was just trying to find something to do with my immediate future.

Likewise, as I begin this new internship in just a couple of weeks, I'm also seeking a path for my future, and not a very unusual path - I want to move out of my parents' house, I want to find a career I can be content with, and I want to be a self-sufficient adult. If there's an adventure at all, it's the adventure of life, as cliche as that is. And this time I'm not even setting out by myself; Shawn will be with me through it all, just like he has been since our adventurous paths crossed.

As to the truth of whether the commenter could undertake a journey such as mine, I'm not sure it's so much a matter of "can" or "can't" as it is a matter of "want to." Every year, you can find people from all walks of life hiking the AT. Anyone can do it if they really want to. Sometimes I think, "I could never work in a cubicle, or in a lab, or in retail," etc. But the truth is, I really don't want to. Some people might have greater opportunities than others to travel, or change careers, or whatever, but I think it's true that you can really do whatever you earnestly set your mind to, no matter what. It seems to be widely accepted that youth is the time to get out and experience the world, before you're riddled with responsibilities. I don't see why that should be the case. Yes, you may have a little more red-tape to get through later in life, but that shouldn't stop you from trying new things and seeing new places, if you truly want to. More often than not, when someone tells me "I couldn't do that," I think what they really mean is "I wouldn't do that," or "I'm afraid to do that," - perhaps afraid of how others might see them, or simply afraid of uncertainty.

I don't quite agree with all the recent over-hyped critical infatuation with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I thought it was a well-made film with a pretty "alright" story, that certainly worked on tugging at people's heart-strings. However, one of Ben's parting thoughts in the film did strike accord with me. He writes to his daughter:

For what it's worth, it's never too late, or in my case too early - to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit; stop whenever you want. You can change, or stay the same - there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

It's fairly cheesy and cliche, but I think there's truth to it. I think people sometimes believe there's a set path to life; you gotta do what you gotta do to get by. Suddenly, if your life wanders off the path, you're on some wacky adventure! But who's to say life can't be adventurous? If you want it to veer in a different direction, then go for it! Who's stopping you?

So I guess my point in all of this digression is that my response to those casual assertions is both "yes" and "no." I am a seeker of the adventure of life. And you can be, too.

You know...if you feel like it.