I am off for a day in the city today and then tomorrow I will board a plane to San Francisco for another adventure. We will be staying with friends, family, and then camping for many miles. I will have a laptop so there may be a few posts along the way. Who knows what I will encounter?
Ghosts, stories, new friends, enlightenment?
I am in that state of nervousness that always accompanies me at the beginning of any adventure, the one that Wendell Barry so aptly describes as your first bonding with the unknown wilderness.
Heightened excitement mixed with fear.
I smile thinking of a quote that I have painted on a weathered piece of wood outside the door of my house. It reads, "Adventure is discomfort in retrospect." I like it because it reminds me that it is quite natural and expected to experience discomfort in this life, on a daily basis or when far from home. So often I want to avoid it altogether. I now enter into traveling knowing that I will experience some sleep deprivation, some lack of comfort zones, some constipation, some homesickness.
and that is o.k.
Because to avoid those things is to avoid life altogether.
Posted by kerismith at October 18, 2004 12:04 PMWow! I can't tell you how this spoke to me! I am a flight attendant who just decided to start flying international again. I can not believe how nervous I am and have been mentally reminding myself what an adventure I am about to have! Your words are so true!
Posted by: monicalee on October 24, 2004 10:33 AMI am the same way when I travel, but when I look back on an adventure or trip, I never remember it, becuase it fades once I get wrapped up in having fun... so my advice is, concentrate on having fun! :)
Posted by: thesoulofhope on October 21, 2004 04:47 PMyou got that right.
and sometimes you don't even have to leave home for your adventure.
Posted by: Theresa on October 21, 2004 12:07 PMI am, ironically enough, having my own adventure here in San Francisco. I am visiting my brother for a week or so. I’ve never been here before, and I can day that it has been well worth the discomfort (actually there has been little, this is a very comfortable place).
Posted by: jon on October 20, 2004 10:27 PMoh that is so true about adventure and discomfort . . . and I was just thinking about that the other day - in the midst of rampant discomfort and had an epiphany: enjoy this, girl, because this is going to be fabulous looking back . . . and I actually did have more fun with it :) Have a lovely time . . .
Posted by: Kat on October 20, 2004 09:13 PMyou describe my travel angst so accurately. have FUN! breathe and enjoy!
Posted by: kristen on October 19, 2004 06:32 PMKeri,
Are you giving any talks, etc. while you're in San Francisco? I live here, so....
Maria
Posted by: Maria on October 19, 2004 03:55 PMI'm right with you! Sometimes I force myself to seek out something that makes me nervous and uncomfortable. In retrospect, it is almost always a fantastic adventure.
Posted by: Katie on October 19, 2004 12:39 PMThe only true discomfort on my last adventure was the lack of legroom on the plane. Spontaneous trombosis, ouch. Have fun in California!
Posted by: eliane on October 19, 2004 11:35 AMhave a wonderful fruitful trip. thank you for all your quotations, they are always most valuable!
Posted by: stef on October 19, 2004 11:00 AM