Finding Adventure
Do you consider yourself someone who is always up for an adventure?
As I consider today’s prompt for Mia and Vashelle’s Write or Die Wednesday, I recognize that I have not always been up for adventure in life. My father’s sudden death created a level of fear for my Mom which impacted how she parented in many ways. Although she did not tell my brother or me that we could not do things, she was always hesitant. One of the worse things had happened. As a result, she lived much of her life cautious.
As many children, I did many things my Mom didn’t know about. If she had known before hand, she would have never allowed it. What she didn’t know afterwards certainly did not hurt her. I tried to not let her own fears of the world become my own. Thus, I did have some adventures but I was more aware than my peers of the possibility of what could happen.
Sadly, I did make a few decision to not have adventures because of my relationship with my Mom. Admitted to two colleges out of state, I chose to stay close to home. It was ultimately my decision as my Mom never pressured me any direction. Ultimately, I felt I needed to stay close to home. I needed my family and wasn’t ready to take the adventure of living hundreds of miles from home, making a new life and living on my own.
Losing a parent in a tragic accident at a young age can impact a child in many ways. For me, I became much older than my age. I became aware of the nuances of life that shouldn’t have been learned until I was older. This knowledge prevented me from more adventures. I was aware that things might not turn out like I hoped.
[tweetthis]Life in itself is an adventure. [/tweetthis]
Adventure does not always have to involve travel. It can involve emotional archaeological digs. It can involve reevaluating your life. An adventure can happen in your own neighborhood as well as across the globe. As I think about it, my younger brother and I had many adventures as we played on the farms of our grandparents. Our imagination can take us on an adventure at any time.
The woman I am now is not the girl I was at 17. I left my smaller hometown because I knew I needed more than it could provide me. (Many of my high school peers have chosen to not leave the confines of where everyone knows who they are). I’ve traveled internationally. I moved to a city where I knew no one but my husband. (My boss later told me that I had learned the city better than some natives). My husband and I have built two houses. (It’s amazing what you learn). I’ve left a job I thought I would do forever and started a new career. (This continues to be an ongoing adventure for me)
There have been adventures that were not so great. Adventures I will not take again. However, I do not regret any adventure I have taken.
My hope is that there will come a day when I can look back at my life and see the multitude of adventures I have had in my life. I hope to continue being open to each adventure that comes to me. Although I know that things can happen at any time, I hope to never let fear be the reason I turn down an opportunity for an adventure.
Are you someone who embraces adventure? What adventures have you taken in your life?
What adventures do you plan?
My mom was also very hesitant and did not allow me to experience certain things. For her though, I think it was more from a place of fear and control than anything else. But like you, there were many adventures that I took that she didn’t know about. Sometimes, you just have to live your own life, and I’m so glad that I had those experiences. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Sheryl! xo
I am guessing you are like me and some of those experiences your mom didn’t know ended up being incredible. I love the community of this link up.
Thank you for sharing this, Sheryl! I can only imagine what the death of a parent at such a young age does to a child. I’m sure the world becomes a place of fear and uncertainty.
What you wrote strikes a chord with me. When I was a kid, and living in Germany, my friend/playmate was killed in a freak accident at the park. My mom and her mom had become very close, and something changed in my mom after that incident. To see her best friend lose her child was a difficult thing for her to witness. She suffered from anxiety for a very long time after that. I was already 10 when that happened, and I was always a pretty independent kid, so not too much changed about what she allowed me to do/not do. My brother, however, was just a baby when it happened and he would grow with an incredibly anxiety-ridden, restricting mom. She never allowed him to adventure or take risks because she was fearful of losing him.
I used to get so angry (when I was a teenager and young adult) cause I felt so bad for him. It was like he wasn’t allowed to LIVE, experience things, fall and get back up.
Then I had my own children and realized that –even though it wasn’t right– I could understand my mom and her fear. She wasn’t doing that to be controlling on purpose. She just loved him so much she was scared of the possibilty of losing him. After all, her best friend lost her daughter by doing something as seemingly harmless as playing at the park.
::sigh:: Sorry for pouring into your comments.
Thank you, again, for your words and perspective! You are so good at your craft (((hugs)))
I think one of the most important things in embracing adventure in your life is to realize that all your adventures might not turn out so great, but that’s okay! It shouldn’t stop you from looking for the next adventure! I am planning on making a cross country move to California in June and I’m not even worried, because even if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the worst thing in the world!
COOCOO FOR COCO
Colleen, How exciting! I totally agree with you that we should never stop looking for the next adventure. Good Luck with your move. I’m so thankful you stopped by.
Such a good point – that adventure doesn’t have to be tied to travel, it can be anything! I like the ones that are ‘good’ – much better than the hard ones :/ Cheers to more good adventures for the both of us!
So very true, the good ones are much preferred! I’m expecting great adventures for both of us!