Central to the meaning of the word adventure are the concepts of risk and uncertainty. An adventure is enjoyable precisely because its path is precarious and its outcome is uncertain.
Because life is tumultuous and unpredictable, some people see it as the ultimate adventure. Life has twists and turns. There are surprises, thrills and disappointments. Life is unusual, exciting and hazardous.
Unhappy people struggle with risks. They long for certainty so as to keep worry and suffering at bay. Even when they emerge victorious over a difficult challenge, they are unable to celebrate. Their eye is on the next problem, the next dilemma. For them life is cold, cruel and unforgiving. The wonder that it is to be alive does not justify the pain they encounter.
In contrast, happy people accept that life is full of risks whose outcomes are beyond their control. They don’t struggle with the struggle. They see it as part of a curious game. They understand the uniqueness of their situation: inexplicably, they have been invited to participate in a glorious expedition. A trip they did not request or volunteer for.
Is life a treadmill of cruel suffering or something more? What to make of life’s beautiful surprises? A chance to create, to dance, to love?
The evidence suggests that we are indeed involved in a personal and collective adventure. We have all been called to embark on a wondrous, mysterious journey.
Note how your your spirit rises at the mere thought of this. See how re-framing your experiences into the context of an adventure alters your mood immediately. To really deal with life’s problems, perhaps all we need to do is change our perspective.
Consider the facts. We do not know where we came from other than to know that a biological process has ushered us forth. We do not know where we are going other than to know that death is the predictable end point for our lives.
We do not know where we are other than to surmise that we are on a spinning rock tilted unpredictably at 6 degrees towards the sun —allowing us just enough light and radiation to live on this planet.
Our knowledge of planet earth is incomplete. Experts tell us that we know more about our solar system than we do about our oceans.
When we peer into outer space, the evidence suggests that we are wholly insignificant. Our place in the universe seems to have resulted from random selection. Yet here we are, just the same.
Who the hell are we?
Further, when we consider the multitude of curious facts all around us, an undeniable truth emerges forcefully: all is in a state of flux. Our bodies, our planet, our perceptions, our experiences —all are constantly changing, leaving us bewildered and perplexed.
I admire individuals who embrace the mystery and uncertainty that we face. They love the puzzle that life appears to be. Like kids opening presents on Christmas morning, they are engaged in enthusiastic, daily discovery. Their days are busy tabulating, measuring and cataloguing data. They love to hunt for clues. Their search for meaning and understanding gives them a clear purpose.
I do not mean to make light of anyone’s suffering by telling them to shrug it all off as part of their adventure. In pointing out that life is an adventure I am merely giving suffering and pain their proper due—but no more than that.
Let suffering be a part of your experience but not the whole part and not even the greater part. There is so much to take in and be grateful for. Discover the other parts of your journey and rejoice. Regardless of the duration and the difficulty of the journey, we have been called to something special.