I've Found Contentment in my Life

Photo: Sergey Nivens / Shutterstock

I'm going to come right out and admit that I am driven by flights of fancy. While my body is always physically present where I am, my mind often wanders to faraway places. Why you may ask? The answer, my friends, are my hopes and dreams.

I've never been one to lament the loss of my hopes and dreams because, quite frankly, I never really had any until I hit 40. Sure, I had some very basic notions of getting a great-paying job, buying a fabulous house in the suburbs of some metro area, and traveling on two-week-long vacations every summer. Pretty basic, huh? To be clear, there's nothing wrong with having dreams like that, they're just not really my dreams.

It turns out that my dreams involve me being a writer based in another country somewhere while traveling, hiking mountains, and having adventures. I want to experience what the world has to offer and explore every nook and cranny - well, most of them anyway. Because of this, I've spent countless hours researching, reading, and thinking about many things related to my dreams.

What I didn't expect to come from all of this, but I welcome readily, is how I turned my own life into one of fun and adventure. I figured, why wait until I can live out my hopes and dreams to live of a life of adventure? Why wait until I live in another country to explore where I am? And that, my friends, is exactly what I have done.

Over the past five years I've explored many areas around where I live:

• I have taken many day trips to explore wineries, breweries, unique businesses, museums, nature centers, restaurants, and, of course, hike the landscape.

• I've hiked the many places around my city alone, with family, and with friends.

• I've gone to many free events, festivals, and concerts in my city.

• I've gone on many weekend trips to other cities within a few hours drive and explored them.

• I've traveled to various states and indulged in everything I could: South Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, and even Washington D.C.

• I've gone to many concerts, local and in other places.

• I've been to various Renaissance Faires, local and in other cities.

• I've taken long weekends to visit with family and friends. It was nice to get out of our town for a few days and do something different.

• I've rented cabins and pitched up tents many weekends where I soaked in the beauty of nature and sat around flickering bonfires.

• I've gone to movies, pumpkin patches, scenic by-way tours, and county high points.

When I look back on all that I've done over the past five years, I'm blown away by all of the things I've experienced, accomplished, and seen. So, while I have lamented - and will again, I'm sure - my lack of international travel and adventure, I cannot overlook how much adventure I've already instilled into my life. My life is so full, so rich, so rewarding, and, yes, chock full of adventure. I'll travel away from my country again one day, but, until then, I'll keep living my life like every day counts. Because they do.

My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review

My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.