Whats Adventure Got To Do With IT?

After seemingly endless hours of rope-worn hands tying yet another knot, hucking yet another measured length of rope off a cliff, or crawling through yet another claustrophobic cave I am often challenged by the feeling that even my line of work has become repetitive, or may I go so far to say, boring. Not that boring is all that bad, it is certainly better than many other possible scenarios, and I do not want to complain about a good thing. And of course, there are days when I am out in the mountains and valleys with a fun family or an exciting group and I am feeling blessed that I can make a living enjoying and sharing my love for the outdoors with them. In fact, you may very well have been that family or that group which shared in the fun with me. But I can’t seem to shake the periodic thoughts of impending sameness. Then it hit me. Really hit me. The secret ingredient to what I have been selling for decades (yes, decades) is exactly what is missing in my own life. Theprecise experience that I work tirelessly to create and tweak to perfection for others, for me is absent. How did this happen?  Forget the shoemaker’s children going barefoot, the shoemaker himself ain’t got no shoes! Well, that is where Tina Turner’s 1984 hit song “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”  comes to attention. I just need to ask this all important philosophical question in a slightly modified fashion, recalculated for my mind. (Did I just use “Tina Turner” and “philosophy” in the same paragraph? Oy vey!) If for me ADVENTURE = LOVE than this life-altering query can logically be rephrased as:  “What’s Adventure Got To Do With It?” So what does adventure got to do with anything? That is the question that I must re-ask myself. The answer to which is the antidote for my ails and, hopefully, will serve as an inspiring thought that you can inject into your “brain vein” now. Here is my take on it: Life often takes on a life of its own. You can scratch your head and re-read that if you need, but it is true for most people most of the time. It is as if our lives in many ways forms on its own terms, independent of us, and we are just the passive audience to it. Like a leaf landing in a rushing mountain creek and then flowing downstream, its movement decided by the wild whims of the creek itself.  By the time we recognize this reality we are likely in a high-velocity trajectory that was launched from decisions we made in years gone by and then shaped by the proactive yet amorphous thing we call life. It is at about this time when people start pacifying this gloomy feeling with growing out their wispy and thinning hair, purchasing a red convertible, and cruising the streets while their teenage children cringe and change color from embarrassment.  All this is a feverish attempt to recreate what has been missing all along. What’s that you ask? You guessed it, that sense of adventure and the excitement of living in the driver’s seat of life instead of perpetually riding shotgun. What adventure adds to our lives is the ability to choose to be challenged and then engage that challenge willingly. It adds new and beautiful vistas and ever-changing scenery to our often tunnel-vision lifestyles. It adds the potential to enjoy being uncomfortable and discover the beauty of embracing the moment and smiling through pain. These subtle but powerful dynamics are at the very core of every adventurous activity. More so, they are the gateway to the euphoria that is enjoyed after the challenge is successfully surmounted and the newness of the experience leaves us thrilled.  To adventure is to indulge the freedom to accept our reality, and learn to accept the hardships as an integral part of the whole experience. Whether it is on the trail or cliff or, more importantly, in the challenges of our day to day lives, the feeling of success and being alive is only possible through pursuit of and conquering of difficult and trying obstacles. That obstacle might be pushing through the physical pain of the climb, fighting through the intense fear of stepping back off of a 200 foot cliff, or the mental stamina to stay focused on your goal while running a marathon. It is all essentially doing the same thing, tickling our innate need to achieve and persevere despite the challenges that are before us. What is waiting to be experienced in every adventure is exactly what we are waiting and wanting to experience in our “real lives”: excitement, vigor, and achievement.  And that my good friends is what I have been missing out on in my own life. I have become comfortable with my daily grind and have forfeited the opportunity to consistently push myself out of my comfort zone. Although my daily grind includes some adventuring, I have neglected to find my own “new mountains” to scale and in the process I became complacent, and a bit bored, with the status quo.  So enough said, I have my prescription in hand and will now head out for a heavy dose of challenge and adventure. It is just what the doctor ordered. Ariel Fishman runs Adventure Israel, an action-packed adventure travel provider specializing in rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, caving, and camping trips. ODT workshops and camping gear rental are also available. All trips are safe, fun, and empowering, and the intensity of the adventure is decided by you. From extreme expeditions to super-relaxed family trips, Adventure Israel’s staff are here so you can enjoy and challenge yourself like never before. Ariel can be reached at 058-536-4938. For pictures and more trip options visit www.adventure-israel.com.

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