Earlier this week, I received an email, simply titled "Exploring the World on Foot." I thought, what in the world? Hiking the planet? What about the oceans?
The email read one line: "A friend sent me this today. Thought you’d appreciate it." It was accompanied by just the link below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/opinion/exploring-the-world-on-foot.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
This journalist is three years into a seven- (or eight or nine, as he so eloquently describes) year journey walking from Africa to South America. Most people would think he's crazy, or maybe he's on the longest soul-searching journey of his life.
But maybe, just maybe, he's got it all figured out.
As I read through the article, by Paul Salopek, I realized that he describes boredom in a way that I had never contemplated before. Salopek argues that the idea of boredom developed once farming became a way of life over hunting and gathering. People became firmly rooted to one spot and locked into a "treadmill of circular, monotonous lives."
Think about the average human lifestyle - getting up each day, going to work, going home, making dinner, watching TV or doing some other couch-bound activity, and going to bed. Then, getting up the next day and doing it again. It leaves us no time to explore, to relish in the adventure and unimagined. It leaves us with simply monotony.
What inspiration does that leave to push us into the vastness and richness of exploring life? Is this why millennials are starting to push back and question these ideals that were once considered part of the American Dream?
As I examine the boredom that I'm forced to acknowledge in my own life, I wonder a lot if it has to do with being firmly rooted to one spot. And whether it's possible maintain roots in one spot, yet still push yourself to keep a sense of adventure and a sense of purpose. Overwhelmingly, the answer must be yes. There are people who are extremely successful, happy, and adept with their roots firmly in one spot - but you'll notice one common thing about all of these people. They have purpose and ambition and a desire that pushes them out of what's comfortable. How do they gain this insight? What's the next step to getting where you really want to go?
