- People will not think you're crazy when you share your idea to begin a quest to find forty adventurous achievements to accomplish in one year. They will, instead, bring all sorts of ideas (good and bad: NO TATTOOS) to the table--you will become their reason to try new things, too--and they will do them with you! Which means . . .
- You will get closer to your friends and family. This was an unexpected perk, as, in my mind, this was a sort of solitary challenge--but it wasn't at all! My lovely friends came out of the woodwork to share ideas and to join me in new adventures, and we shared the kind of bonding that is usually reserved for those intense youth experiences--camps and college and times like that. And in my family, the journeys we took gave us tacit permission to leave worries behind to go on quests--those days were filled with laughs and smiles and hugs that I'll truly treasure forever.
- You'll start enjoying your independence more than you had been. For the list items that were meant to be done alone--taking classes, cooking, etc.--I was reminded that I really do need the peace and quiet of my own thoughts every now and again. I'm surrounded by at least two dozen people at all times during my day, bless those needy little creatures who expect performances and attention, and when I struck out on my own, I found those times recharged me, rather than make me feel lonely.
- Bravery IS a quality you possess. Before this past year, there is no way I would have rounded people up, scheduled events both free and pricey, driven off the beaten path, leaped off platforms suspended in the trees, directed a horse through the wilderness, piloted a rocky little boat, and dozens of other REALLY FUN things to do!
- You will embrace yourself for who you really are. I LOVE when my kids fangirl or fanboy over their favorite things; if you love something, love it fully! I love books. And yoga. And movies. And my family. And my friends. And my house. And Lilly Pulitzer. And vineyards. And monograms. And getting sweaty at the gym. And teaching. And my Sunday School class. And if somebody plans to mock me for any of those things, then you better come at me with something more awesome than my list, or you'll have to pipe down.
- Reading local newspapers and fliers will become second nature to you. Before, people would advertise events and activities available in southern Illinois and I would breeze right by them, but when I was on a quest to find forty things to do, I was wide open to suggestion, looking constantly for what our area offers, which reminded me that . . .
- Southern Illinois is a lovely place to live. Sometimes. I'm not a fan of the long, bleak winters here, but fall and spring and summer offer some of the most picturesque views and loveliest conditions to play outside.
Ultimately, the takeaway here was that I am no longer afraid to try anything once, and these are words I never really thought I'd apply to myself, but it's true. After this year, if there's something going on that I want to be a part of or something new I want to try, I will absolutely march my caboose to wherever it is and do it. I've learned that life is short; tempus fugit! Embrace all of it and give everything a go at least one time! Even if you fail, your friends and family will be there with you and it'll make a great story.
So where does that leave me now? The people in my life are unwilling to let the list go, that's where! We've determined that we'll keep my list going, everyone else will embark on their own lists, and we'll all keep adventuring! My new adventures, to be blogged as an epilogue, will be christened The Epiblogue, and it will be a shameless excuse to keep on finding the joy of new quests. :-) So stay tuned, dear readers. The journey continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment