Do you ever feel like you don?t have the time to get away? Your heart desires spontaneity and adventure, but your schedule is full of responsibilities and deadlines? I think at one point or another, we?ve all been there, and I say that because, well, that?s exactly how my husband and I felt this past Sunday.
We sat on our couch Sunday afternoon, with our work set before us, when an intense desire for spontaneity hit me. I asked my husband, like I do most afternoons, ?What do you want to do tonight?? He responded with a few ideas that were our usual go-tos, but that night, they just wouldn?t do.
My heart yearned to go somewhere, to do something that wasn?t our norm. I desired to remove ourselves from our work and disconnect entirely from our ever-present technology. I desired spontaneity. I desired adventure.
It was then that the thought came to me – we don?t have to go somewhere to bring spontaneity and adventure to our evening ? our version of spontaneous adventure could be found in our own backyard!
Enter in spontaneity and adventure.
It was then that we spontaneously set out to create our adventure ? a camping adventure! We dropped our work, made a quick run to our grocery store for hot dogs and s?mores ingredients, then grabbed our gear and began setting up. It didn?t take us long to set our tent and chairs up and start warming our little grill.
In minutes, our simple, yet so satisfying dinner was ready. That night, hot dogs held a sense of adventure. We grabbed our melamine plates ? because let?s be honest, who wants to eat on breakable ceramic outside – and sat in our chairs as we enjoyed, for the first time that weekend, each other?s presence without the world?s distractions.
Once dinner was finished, my husband quickly announced it was time for dessert -s?mores. Mmm, they were delicious. Again, I grabbed our melamine plates – the perfect size to hold my melted mess I like to call a s?more.
By the time we finished our dessert, the sun had rested behind the horizon and the air had grown cold. I grabbed our cozy blankets as my husband grabbed his guitar and we lit our ?bonfire? as we waited for the stars to make their appearance.
For hours, we talked, we worshipped, we enjoyed the stillness of the night. Our souls rested as our hearts were filled. And on a night that could have been laden with checklists and the anxiety of tomorrow, we allowed spontaneity and adventure to be our guides.
These are the moments we?ll remember forever. Not the checklists, not the Sunday nights spent in front of our computers and TVs, with our cell-phones and tablets in hand. So the next time you feel stuck in mundane routine of schedules and responsibilities, I give you the freedom to find your family?s version of a spontaneous adventure.
Happy Adventuring!