After talking about Thoreau and Walden a few weeks ago I decided to see what options are available today for people who aren’t content just to follow society’s expectations. Not surprisingly there are gazillions of self-help books that are more than happy to give advice. A lot of them have ideas worth trying, but even they tend to over-hype the rewards and minimize the problems and potential dangers.
The title of one of the books is Path of Least Resistance — Learning to Become a Creative Force in Your Own Life. I’ll probably talk about the contents in a later post, but it’s the title that has my attention right now. I keep thinking of water following the path of least resistance. Sometimes that means falling off a cliff!
That’s probably just the pessimism of age speaking. There comes a point in one’s life that one says, “Yeah, sure,” when someone says don’t think about limitations: “If you can think it, you can do it.” Uh, huh. I’ll just stick with my, “Doing the best I can with what I have left.” I still have plenty of enthusiasm left, but I also try to be realistic about the projects I work on.
For instance, I think I’ll skip trips down the Zambezi River to see the hippopotami:
To read the article click here.
What about you? Has your sense of adventure ever gotten you into situations that would have been best avoided?
My sense of adventure is generally cautious. Our worst adventure was in 1974 when we were crossing over the top of some falls on the Swift River in New Hampshire, when Karen slipped and went over. Fortunately it was a “low” waterfall and I was able to set our scared 1 year-old daughter down — with a stern, “Stay there!” — and go help Karen out of the water just a little ways down. I think the experience pretty much sealed in Karen’s fear of water.
I had way more adventure than I wanted kayaking with husband & two sons. Nothing was too difficult for them.
Incidentally, I remember the 1st time I flipped to upside-down. It was real cold. I thought–I’ll drown if I don’t get out of here. I was surprised more than scared.
i apologize in advance for any presumed insensitivity for what i’m about to say . . . and it would apply to most super dangerouse things that some call adventure i guess…
but this man was an idiot to go back down that same stretch knowing (which he already alluded to earlier was the rogue hippo’s ‘territory’) . . . one man lost his life. and he’s still taking people down that way. and had to ‘scream’ off a second attack? that’s when your sense of adventure is overrun by your common sense of survival. what does this guy have? a death wish by hippo? i say ridiculous. find your excitement some other way.
whew. okay. rant over! LOL.
but as usual… a thought provoking and interesting post! thank you. plus. another great cartoon. happy mothers day by the way. you did good monk. i’d say kaitlin is a keeper!
hahaha. dangerouse? a in a mouse who likes danger? LOL.
I think my sense of adventure is internal – ideas and such.
External adventures don’t interest me much. I suspect they are to compensate for boredom.
ha! another great answer evan! LOL.
I guess most of my life would be classed as an adventure…even when I was a child and caused my Mother grief when each year when her yellow climbing rose came into flower, it would be from a different level up only…she finally discovered that little me was eating the rosebuds as high as I could reach 🙂 🙂
It soon became a family joke that all I ate was rosebuds and cheese!
Of course, currently I’m on a couple of adventures which have not end in sight but there is absolutely no reason to finish them…
Mike,
Wow! Glad it turned out all right. I’m with you — I’m physically cautious. Given my general lack of coordination it seems the best route for me. 🙂
bikehikebabe,
I would not have done well in that environment! You seem to have handled it very well.
tammy,
I admire the guy for saying he knew hippos were dangerous and that the humans were the intruders. Some people are more comfortable with that kind of risk, so who are we to judge? I get the impression that the story is coming out at this time because he’s turned to motivational speaking now that he’s gotten a bit too old for that sort of activity. It may be just a story I’m making up.
Evan.
Yes, my adventures are internal too. I love it, but I think we’re in the minority. As usual we’re all wired differently, and we each have to figure out what works for us.
I wholeheartedly agree with Tammy on the Hippo story.
In answer to your question: Adventure, yes. But only if the risk is reasonably stacked in my favour.
In my opinion some people confuse ‘sense of adventure’ with recklessness. That’s not me. But then I am not stupid. And I have nothing but disdain for people who actively put themselves (and others) at danger.
U
Ursula,
I agree that the guide should have been more upfront with the clients about the possible danger, although he did warn them that they would be seeing wild animals and the humans were the intruders. And I figure it’s his life so he gets to decide what risks he’s willing to take. It would be interesting to know if his trips were more dangerous than our trips in automobiles. Apparently he was a guide for years and this attack was a fluke. Not that I would want to do it!
Cute cartoon. I don’t do hippos either; glad the man survived.
I rafted the Nantahala River once and only once! Eight miles with class 2 and 3 rapids… though I “beached” myself after a couple of miles into it.(smile)
Dixie,
We went white-water rafting a few times, but nothing dangerous. That’s as adventuresome as I get!
Wouldn’t you like to know! Do you know how I came to need hip replacements?
Rummuser,
I guessed you would refer to that. I do know the story you tell. 😀