I tend to use this phrase a lot. Life is always more fun when you view everything as an adventure, a learning opportunity, or stepping stone, instead of an obstacle or hurdle. Yes, I’m that person: going into overtime at the end of the work day, the water heater springs a leak and the septic tank explodes and I’m standing in a foot of human schloop in the middle of the living room (in my pretty pink rain boots of course!) And I have my hands up in the air yelling WOOOOOOHOOOOO! ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE! Irritating perhaps, but it works for me to make the best of things.
My adventure today reminded me a little of that as I was standing in the rain getting soaked after the storm prevented a whole group of us from paddling (well more the lightning than the rain really), and we were helping someone tie a canoe to her car and everyone got soaked. It didn’t matter that there was no paddle. Sometimes it’s just nice to get some fresh air and feel the rain on your face.
I don’t normally do the group thing, being terribly anti-social. Well, perhaps anti-social isn’t the right word. I’m plenty social. It just takes a lot of effort sometimes to get off my bum and head out to an event where I won’t really know anyone. But as always, the geocachers who came, once again proved to be a very welcoming bunch. I was just thinking the other day that it was a shame that now that I have a kayak I don’t really know anyone that likes to paddle and also likes to geocache. Out of the blue I stumbled on a paddling/geocaching event. How could I pass that up?
Even though we didn’t paddle, it was worth it getting out of my shell just a little bit farther. Speaking of shells actually… Most people who know me know that I love snails. There was the tiniest little snail that I’d ever seen who hitched a ride home in my kayak on the seat. I had to snap a million pictures of him but none of them really captured how cute he was. I won’t mention the fact that I accidentally dropped the kayak as I went for my camera. But everything turned out OK. I was probably more concerned about the snail at the time as he ducked back into his shell in the chaos. So I placed him carefully on the roof of my car to get a better shot. And don’t worry afterwards he found a new home in my garden.
I think I like snails because they remind me of the saying, “It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.” That and they are just darn cute. I love their crazy little eyeballs. But lately I have to admit that that’s how I’ve been feeling. My very first solo backcountry camping trip is booked and admittedly I’m a little anxious. I know that I shouldn’t be, because I know everything that I need to do. And it doesn’t matter how strong I am. It doesn’t matter how fast I cross the portage. It doesn’t matter how many times I go back and forth. It doesn’t matter how slow I go as long as I don’t stop. It’s all going to be worth it in the end when I get there. Because it’s always an adventure.
Go Outside 