I wanted to introduce this subject in three parts.
The first part - on adventure and what it is to me;
Secondly - on autism as a short insight into my experience.
And lastly, I will close the article by juxtaposing adventure and autism...
On Adventure
The definition of what is adventure varies greatly - but to me, it is any endeavour with an unexpected outcome. Therefore, it can be anything.
I heard this definition from one of the 'real' adventurers and globetrotters that gave speech at the Unlost Co. event.
You don't have to hike or bike across the Andes or Himalayas to be an adventurer! Going off the beaten track, whether it is a new route home or to work; going on your own for urban exploration, a solitary visit to a museum, theatre or an event; moving to another city; starting a new job or taking upon a new career altogether - these all are adventures! Something that happens unexpectedly, by the definition, is an adventure too.
Most importantly, it is you, your imagination and attitude, which makes something an adventure.
You could choose to live a mundane life.
Or, you could actively reshape your life by simply looking at things as fun and adventure! Finding the love of life in every moment. I suppose it could be called mindfulness and gratitude too.
On autism...
Dear reader, I am not going to attempt to lecture you on autism, I will only give you an insight into yours truly experience.
Yes, yours truly is autistic with sporadic ADHD bursts. I didn't know that I am autistic until very late in my life. This is when the penny dropped and assessments proved 'the obvious'.
Why the assessments anyway? Did something go wrong? Yes and no. I will not bore you my dear reader with my biography herein, but, I want to show you two very opposite life circumstances and their effect on my autistic life.
My first career was in science and in my twenties I was academic. I lived a hermetic, almost sterile, mostly predictable and theoretical life. The people I was surrounded with were just like me. Thus, not knowing any 'different' in my quasi-adult life I thought this is NORMAL. My normal. And normal NORMAL.
My life was organised, packed up with routines; self-care was scheduled - unless I got into research /study flow. Exercising, running - all scheduled and never missed. The academic schedule was perfect - on one hand, it was predictable on the other, fantastically flexible to cater for poor timekeeping.
I would always work despite imposed annual leave or bank holidays - as this was my routine. Any changes to my routine would trigger a meltdown.
I had financial means to travel and my father was always trying to persuade me to get out there and see the world. The answer was always 'NO, I have no time'.
The time went on and I was getting older and older and have seen nothing of the world. Save for theory of course - I had knowledge without experience whatsoever.
Until I did something crazy - I left my town, moved far away and started my life over again.
I decided to be a police officer! I can tell you that it wasn't easy to switch from a purely theoretical life to a practical one - in fact, practical to the extreme!
It was and still is extremely challenging. Living in such a different world and being surrounded by so many different brains.
Needless to say that I felt different. Notwithstanding, that big change felt good; adrenaline, the excitement of the unknown, along with learning new things for which my brain is incessantly hungry.
Wait for a minute, Dee! The change felt good? Well, this one did!
And yes, any small change to my routine would trigger a meltdown but NOT THIS ONE.
Why? Because it was an adventure.
I always lived vicarious life but I wanted to change it. Explore and see the world!
But where to start? I asked myself...
I attended an event hosted by Unlost Co. - "The Adventure Club" which was set to connect and inspire people to have more adventurous lives.
I met there people of all ages and from all walks of life - they were all well-seasoned adventurers and travelers. I felt admiration and respect for all those people, and I felt that I am not really fitting in.
I was standing there asking questions and listening to their stories with wanderlust until they turn to me and asked about me; not where I have been but what I am doing for life and all that.
After hearing my story they looked at me with fascination and said, "Wow! You are truly an adventurer! You have to have the gut to move so many fathoms and leagues, all on your own, leaving your whole life behind and starting something totally new!"
I was shocked. I have never ever thought about it in this way!
This HAS changed me.
It gave me the drive and courage to create myself as an adventurer.
All of us - I and you, my dear reader - are in charge of the pen that writes your story.
"Little by little, one travels far"
Start small, as I did.
My first adventure was to jump on a train with my camera without any plan. I went to Chichester and whilst taking photographs I was befriended by an elderly lady who told me about West Witterings. I took a bus and off I went. I missed my bus stop and ended up in East Witterings and then along the coast, I headed west. It was getting darker and darker. The wind was getting stronger and I had no idea where I was and where I could catch a bus or a train to return home.
I took a random path taking me away from the beach. I ended up in a hamlet and found a solitary bus stop. It was pretty dark now and I did not know whether the bus would actually arrive (my phone was dead), I sat there and waited, breathing the salty air and enjoying the unknown.
Eventually, the bus arrived and took me back to the train station...
The article will continue...
Until next time my dear readers!
PS
In the meantime, enjoy photographs I took during Witterings Adventure.
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