Simplicity and Adventure

The older I’ve gotten, the more I appreciate peace and quiet. Most of the time, I like having few things to think about and few things going on.

I also get bored easily and I like adventure.

In search of it, it’s easy to say yes to everything, and be occupied by lots of stuff. But instead of one hero’s journey, the result is tons of spectator sideshows. The best way to get the adventure I seek is to go harder at the one or two really big things worth my energy, not to add on lots of little things.

But there are exceptions.

If I’m in a rut with my few big focus areas, sometimes a sensory shotgun can shake me out. Immersing myself in a lot of ideas and information and following random rabbit trails can dislodge me when I’m stuck on the bigger journey. Like a level in a video game you can’t get past, sometimes you need to play some light-hearted side-quests before you return with fresh focus.