Choosing adventure

It's finally spring here in Virginia, and my youngest loves to play at the park after school. Today, we had to come home first to change clothes and grab a snack. As she was changing, she had an idea:

"I want to ride my bike to the park!"

"Sure!" I agreed.

"And we'll have an adventure!" She added.

"Absolutely." I said with a 4pm-slump smile (admittedly wondering where I was going to muster the energy).

We pumped up her bike tires, filled our water bottles, grabbed my backpack, and off we went.

I don't think we passed a single flower that she didn't first stop to admire. Daffodils, hyacinths, cherry blossoms, wildflowers, even dandelions... She'd pedal down the sidewalk for a bit, then skid to a stop, jump off, and bend down with her giant pink bike helmet for a closer look. "MOM, LOOK!!" she'd exclaim, and I'd join in admiring what she'd found. She was absolutely delighted.

It didn't take more than a few minutes before I'd forgotten how tired I had felt while we were getting ready to go. Her energy was infectious, and hearing her chirpy voice chatting the whole way to the park was better than any afternoon caffeine pick-me-up. 

We got to the park and she played for well over an hour and a half -- greeting friends she knew from school, and making new ones. I read a book on my picnic blanket and enjoyed the sunshine. It was simple, slow, and perfect. We had a snack, she played some more, and then finally told me she was ready to go. 

But she didn't want to go home the way we came. She wanted another adventure. 

We took a different path home, full of new sights and sounds, and she again chirped and admired the whole way home. She tipped over once and had a couple close calls on her bike, but she hopped right back on. It was all part of the adventure.

I love that she used that word. Adventure. This was such a simple, ordinary outing, but in her creative 6-year old mind it was so much more.

This got me thinking about the way we choose to see the world. This wasn't the first time she saw flowers, but still she was absolutely delighted by them. This wasn't the first time she rode her bike to the park, but still she called it an adventure. 

We can do the same.

We can find wonder and beauty in the things we typically pass by without noticing.

We can take new paths, meet new people, and push ourselves to play and have fun -- even when we fall down. 

Through the lens of adventure, even the most ordinary things can be exciting. It might be harder for us grown-ups than it is for a 6-year old, but judging from the energy boost I felt from just my small taste of it, it's well worth the effort. 

Here's to more adventure!