Adventuresome

From time to time we get comments regarding how adventuresome we both are. These are wonderful compliments but we don’t completely see ourselves as these wild adventure seekers. Yes we did move to a foreign environment and began working unfamiliar jobs, but it never could've happened without the fearless spirit of my wife.

From early childhood I never felt the desire to travel if the destination I was going to didn’t have familiar faces to see. Putting myself into a foreign place with unfamiliar sights and sounds seemed truly preposterous. Why leave the comforts I have come to know when all they do is keep me happy? Up through high school I strayed from undertaking new endeavors, traveling to new places, and trying things that would challenge me. Funny how one person can really flip your world around.

It was a step by step process Lauren took, easing me into the venturesome type. The first thing she did was convince me to apply to an out of state school. This was perfect, one small step to put me out of my comfort zone a bit by moving me away from all that I have known growing up. Thankfully, it was to a place I was quite familiar with, Arizona.

Secondly, it was time to get out of the comforts of a house and a city and into the wild of nature. Hard to believe now, but my first camping trip was with Lauren after high school was over. Once there it was clear this was going to be a wonderful habit to get into.

The next step was by far the most difficult. Take me out of the country.The desire to travel abroad for me was fairly non-existent to this point. I was offered a trip to Europe after high school by my generous grandparents, but a combination of mild interest and bad timing prevented it from happening (not all was lost, a glorious cruise took its place). Lauren, on the other hand, had the courage to move to Europe for an entire semester. Sophomore year of college Lauren set sail (figuratively) for Paris. Before she left she was pushing and pushing me to get a ticket to visit her. I kept telling her I would try, all the while trying to find excuses. It basically came down to a couple of things. I was pretty nervous about going to the other side of the world, and I couldn’t justify the cost of going. Every time Lauren and I would talk, she would push me about getting my passport. She would tell me “Well at least get your passport just in case you DO have the money to come, that way you can do it. If you get the money and don’t have your passport, then what are you going to do?” I understood her point, but continued to delay.

Finally came the middle of March and I gave in. Her point was too good to deny, and I also figured the passport wouldn't come in time, therefore I most likely wouldn’t have to face my fear. Photo taken and application submitted. I told Lauren that I had submitted the application and “we’ll see how long it will take”. She remained very hopeful, in turn making me a little nervous. Mind you, I did NOT choose the expedited process…Divine intervention? Perhaps. Less than 2 weeks later my passport arrived. I took it as a sign and booked by ticket to Paris. I would go in April in the middle of the semester. The layovers and long plane rides would be plenty of time to do any extra writing/reading for my classes I was missing. This experience continues to serve as the most eye opening experience of my life. The trip was inexplicably incredible. It widened my perspective and gave me so much to think about and consider. This is what officially whet my appetite for uncovering the unknown.

I owe it all to you my wife, just one of the many reasons I love you :)

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain