Life Is An Adventure – Are You Living Like It?
Life is an adventure. Are you living like it?
Honestly, I’m typically a “keep it the same” kind of guy. I eat oatmeal for breakfast every day. I eat nearly the same thing for lunch every day at work. I get up at the same time every day.
Routine is a good thing. At least I think so. But sometimes our routines prevent us from experiencing adventures that are screaming for us to break free of our comfort zones. Going to Guatemala this summer was definitely an adventure – a contrast from the routines of my life.
Our trip certainly didn’t match up with the typical American vacation to the beach, to the mountains, or to some resort. While we did eat one or two fancy meals on our trip to Guatemala, we didn’t eat in any expensive restaurants. In fact, we ate a lot of rice, beans, and corn tortillas. We certainly didn’t ride in any luxurious motor homes, trains, or sports cars. But we did take some rides we will never forget.
The morning we went to San Antonio was an adventure I will never forget.
As I mentioned earlier, we took a long and curvy road from Xenacoj up to San Antonio. The road was paved most of the way until we turned right onto a dirt road. One of us said something about riding on the roof of the van. Before we knew it, the white, 15 passenger van had stopped and five of us were climbing on top of the van to sit on the uncomfortable metal roof rack. When we were all positioned as comfortably as possible, one of us banged our fist on the van’s roof, and we proceeded up the rugged dirt road for a ride we’ll always remember.
The initial part of the road passed by fields where workers were cultivating the fields by hand. They waved to us calling out “Bueno!” (Or “Hello”). Across the fields in the distance we could see volcanoes stretching way above the horizon touching the sky. Continuing up the bumpy road, we passed a couple of cows and horses grazing on the side of the mountains tied to a fence post or stake. The clouds in the sky looked like fluffy pillows spread throughout the sky and wrapping themselves around the nearby mountains.
Climbing higher, we passed a pump house that was built by another missions organization used to get water closer to the people of San Antonio. Looking down the side of the van, you could see where a previous group had dug a trench up the side of the road to deliver PVC pipes filled with water to the homes on top of the mountain.
Suddenly, we arrived in the small village. We passed a few homes – many built with cornstalks and sheets of metal and some built with concrete block. We started seeing signs of life. A woman walking up the road with a load balanced on her head was a reminder that we weren’t in Kansas any more. Our van pulled to a stop next to the one and only school in San Antonio – a place that would grip our hearts further. It’s here where the faces of children were etched in our memories and hearts for ever.
What if we didn’t go on this adventure? What if we didn’t climb on the roof of the van? What if we didn’t drive up to San Antonio?
We would have missed out. We might have passed right by the “appointment” with these children. We may have lost the opportunity to be touched in such an amazing way. We could have been left out on the adventure of a lifetime.
But…
We didn’t!
Adventures can be scary. They can be bumpy. They can be completely uncomfortable.
And…
Adventures can be totally worth it! They can touch you in ways you never imagined. They can inspire you (and others). They can absolutely change you from the inside out. I will forever be marked by this adventure. I know we helped the people of San Antonio, but they also impacted me in amazing ways.
What adventure do you need to pursue? What’s holding you back? When has it been worth it to get outside your comfort zone in pursuit of adventure?