Just flew back yesterday from Denver Colorado where I went to visit my very, very good friend I've known my whole life, Lisa.
It was five days of growth for this small town slightly sheltered, baby of the family. I flew alone, I navigated two airports alone and that is something I was very scared to do. But I did. I know a lot of people do this kind of thing all the time and it's really no big deal but for a girl who lived nine miles out of town (and town was 300 people) it was huge. On a side note I also have no sense of direction. It's fair to say on a given road trip I get flipped off regularly and am a master at U-turns. Even illegal ones. (Sorry Jayke it's true)
Lisa has been all over the world, and when I say that I don't mean she went to London once. I mean she back-packed through Europe, stayed in hostels in South Africa, shes been to India, Singapore,the Philippines, Thailand and Australia. I know there are more but you get where I'm going here? The thing is she didn't visit these places because she was some uber privileged, rich kid. She got there because she has a drive for adventure and she's brave as hell. So I got inspired and climbed aboard a plane and ventured out of my comfort zone. And I loved every minute of it.
Lisa is a nanny. When I say this I want you to picture taking two two year olds and a four-month old all over the city of Denver every day. They go to story time twice a week, museums, parks ect. They are two very lucky boys (both about 2) and one very lucky girl (4 months).
The first day I arrived Lisa picked me up and we took the kids to the mall. It was cold out and there is a huge play area for toddlers in the mall. Lisa walks with sleeping infant in a tummy pack and two toddlers side by side in a jogging stroller casually through the mall. (This is when I realized I am a huge spaz and would never be able to do this without an occasional panic attack.) She is like a child whisperer. She manages to get these two toddlers to hold hands with each other (which the image alone is stinkin' adorable)and walk through a shopping mall; all with great ease. I think it is so amazing that some of the best parenting skills I have learned have been from two people with no kids: my sister Melissa and Lisa.
I count on my big sister Miss so much. I ask her to pick my ass up at the airport, I ask her to go with my ex-husband to kindergarten round-up when I can't be there, I ask her to drive my ass home from the bar. She's been taking care of me my entire life. She was also part of my inspiration on this journey. (as just a few weeks back she flew alone to Chicago and then from there to Louisville)
You don't have to have kids to be a parent. I would like to tattoo that on the dumbass's forehead who shouted out to everyone, as my sister entered the library for my son's kindergarten round-up, "Melissa what are you doing here you don't even have any kids?" (I was in Denver and it meant the world to Nolan to have his Missy Dissy there.) Once again: You don't have to have kids to be a parent. In fact a lot of the time you guys have more figured out than we do. Not even kidding.
The next day of my adventure. I set out on foot to locate a tattoo shop that I heard was great. And by set out I mean walked four miles there and four miles back. Down Colfax and Broadway alone feeling very white and very naive.But after consulting with a few homeless men (just kidding Mom!) I found the place I needed to be in time for my 12noon consultation. Granted I was sweaty and little low on blood sugar and limping due to a sizable blister, I made it.
Five years ago, I think? I got a tattoo on my shoulder in memory of Mike (my brother the ultimate adventurer) it was a spur of the moment thing and I had to choose from a book. I chose a simple nautical star and a few flames to represent his career in Wildfire Fighting. It was okay but I felt like it wasn't super personal and never truly loved it. So on Friday of my visit to Denver I sat at Sol Tribe on Broadway, for two hours, getting my "Ode to Odie" reworked. It is now a Compass with a True North Surrounded in flames that nearly look 3D and below it it reads "Adventure is Out There". It is now exactly what I wanted.
It is also a permanent memory of my trip and my goal to be more adventurous.
It is so easy to do things you are familiar and comfortable doing. However if you never challenge yourself where do you get? What do you see? What do you learn about yourself? It reminds me of a quote from You've Got Mail :
"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life- well valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So goodnight, dear void."
Turns out adventure is out there. All you need to do is make it happen. Not even kidding.
