Who I Am

What is the difference between an adventure and a calamity?

The outcome is one thing, I suppose. If it turns out okay in the end, it was an adventure, but I believe the biggest difference is state of mind.

First of all, I do not believe the world is quite as dangerous as most people seem to think it is. I know there are bad people out there and they are dangerous, but most of the people I have met are just me in different skins and clothes. A little common sense goes a long way.

Secondly, I believe that a lot of the danger is more drama than reality. Drama people thrive on talking about what they avoided. I thrive on talking about what I experienced, but I’m not stupid. I am careful and I do learn from my mishaps.

I have never been ticketed for an accident, but I have driven off the Interstate in the middle of a snowstorm at night and had to be towed out. I have swerved off an icy country road and felt my car come flying out of the ditch and slide bouncing, sideways, across a cornfield. I have even had my car slip madly across three lanes of traffic and end up facing the other direction, but it was very early and there was no other traffic. I learned a lot from these things, but I consider them adventures since no one was hurt, not even my car, well the undercarriage was full of corn husks in one of them.

I love to just seize life by the heart and bury my nose in all the sweet experiences that come my way, knowing that what will happen will happen. And some beautiful things have happened. Yes, there have been times afterwards when I think my heart will break, but it doesn’t and I couldn’t imagine having missed that adventure.

Life is extraordinary and the most amazing things happen when I allow them to. And sometimes even more amazing things happen when I feel I have no choice except to do what must be done.

Adventure, or calamity? I can’t really think of anything that turned out to be a real calamity and that is pretty much why I am who I am.