Danger and unknown risks often cause some to steer clear, while others are enticed. Those hesitant might call it irresponsible or just plain stupid. Those intrigued might see it as an opportunity to create memories that will last a lifetime. Often times these expeditions are described as “adventures.” Adventures have many promising rewards, but also require many risks along the way. The problem with adventures today is that they are not like they used to be. Nowadays, people partake on such journeys spending less time enjoying the moment, and more time taking a picture to capture that moment. It is great to capture memories to look back on, but we also must draw a line and ask ourselves if we are truly experiencing the adventure or are we only experiencing it through the device we are holding? Are we doing it to impress others or are we doing it for our pure passion and enjoyment?
Now it is summer time, a time full of adventures and incredible memories. Let’s go against our culture and create memories that we can tell our kids in the future without looking back at our phones or cameras to tell the story. The best stories told are the ones passed down through generations. I believe it is the teller that makes the story and if we left it up to technology to tell our life stories, then there would not be much variety. Our experiences make us unique and the way a story is told and passed down is what gives us character. That is why we must craft our own memories and pass down what we have experienced.
Before we get caught up in our grandparents’ argument that we are controlled by our devices now, we must analyze what adventuring actually is and what causes it. Adventuring is particularly characterized by taking a risk by journeying into the unknown. Surprisingly, it is actually a science of the human body. Risk-taking comes from the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps control motor skills as well as drive us to seek out and learn new things. The emotions that accompany this chemical are anxiety and fear. When people embark on an adventure it may appear only emotional, but it is chemical as well. The drive is from our motivation, which is largely due to increased levels of dopamine. This pushes the person forward to try wild things such as climb a mountain, start a business, or even go sky-diving.
Now that I have explained where adventuring comes from, I must ask what has caused our culture to shift away from making memories and toward capturing them in cyberspace? The answer to this is not a chemical reaction. We have become so contingent on technology to remind us of events in our life that we no longer truly remember our past experiences. It’s almost as if we can no longer remember how to remember. It’s a never ending paradox. Our memories have become more and more mechanical, but in spite of this it can be changed. As I have pointed out, technology has definitely hampered our drive to create new memories, but we can always alter the future. When we travel to foreign places or try new foods, we are opening our minds to the possibility of liking something we did not know about. This is what draws me to adventure, and I have figured out how to enjoy each one to the fullest without technology in the picture.
In order to truly give insight on this topic, I feel that I should establish where my love for adventuring came from. First I want to make things very clear. I am not a complete adrenaline junkie. I was in fact what most would call a “goody two-shoes” throughout most of my life up until first semester of college. It was not that I was a nerd and never broke the rules. It was that the only “adventures” that I heard about involved drinking or smoking and I have never been fond of either of those scenes so I steered clear of those “adventures.” As I grew older, I became so caught up with school and extracurriculars that I almost forgot how to have fun.
One day during the first semester in college, I had an “epiphany” as I like to call it. I remembered all of the crazy stories my father told me that he did with his friends when he was in high school and college. He did nothing illegal or immoral, just buds hanging out doing guy stuff. It dawned on me that when I get older, I will never have any cool or crazy stories to tell. What is that all about? What I could say was, “Yeah, when I was your age I was doing all kinds of crazy things like staying up late doing homework or even going on a run.” Nope! I wanted to make sure that changed and that is what sparked me to become more unique and create lasting memories.
In college, you are surrounded by many choices -- some good and some bad -- and it is completely up to you to decide what is most important to you. Being an extrovert, my downtime is spending time with my friends and family so if that is you, find some friends to take with you on your life’s journeys. I am particularly rejuvenated when I take time out of my busy schedule and go for a hike with some friends, climb a building, or jump in a lake. I am all about having fun and taking time to admire God’s creation. I not only can see God’s beauty in nature, but also in each person he created and that is where my ultimate satisfaction from adventuring comes from. I could tell you many stories from this past year about going line dancing in a country club, exploring corn fields in the middle of nowhere, or even climbing a countless amount of trees in a hidden forest in San Antonio, but I will save that for another time.
The drive and thrill of the unknown has become a staple part of my life. I have learned this past year how much technology can affect our memories. I would highly advise leaving your phone behind next time you go trekking and relying on your mind to capture the picture. It is so much more fulfilling and will change your outlook on God’s majesty. By doing so, we will begin to understand how important it is to appreciate our friends and God’s creation. Remember that the Lord tells us that “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Why not stay true to ourselves and God by letting our inner child shine every now and again?
