Over Spring Break, my daughter’s friends decided to take a road trip. They were in search of a chuckwalla. With little money and an equal amount of thought or planning, the group went off to tent camp in the desert. Mesquite, Nevada, was their destination, and finding a chuckwalla was their mission. Why there, and why a chuckwalla? I have no idea. The whole thing initially sounded absurd until I gave it a little more thought. The kids were following their sense of youthful adventure without getting caught up in the logistics of a solid plan. They were living spontaneously and having fun doing so.
Remember the days of flying by the seat of your pants? When did we stop being spontaneous and carefree? Why is it that the older we grow, the more we need to plan and feel prepared? Sometimes a plan is called for, but sometimes life unfolds better when left to chance. So what if no one remembers to bring a phone charger? You can always use the outlets and escape the desert heat in an air-conditioned Starbucks.
We learn from adventures, and life is full of them. Take your chances at experiencing life less seriously and more spontaneously. See what you can find or discover when you do the unexpected, the thing that makes others scratch their heads. Make memories, and learn from your adventures, even those that make no sense to others. Go in search of a chuckwalla.
