Life Around You

Ever since I was a little kid, I always have dreamed of going on a great adventure. When I was a kid, of course, my ideas of great adventures were somewhat antiquated. I loved anything involving sword and sorcery, and I dreamed of being a knight, going on great errands to rescue maidens in peril and slay evil dragons. I had a pretty conventional imagination, but it was pretty vivid as well. As I have grown up, I have kept that imagination.

A lot of adults give up on great adventures. They get caught up in making money, having kids, and raising a family and dispense with the fiery spirit that they were born with. Not me. I knew that, now that I was older, I wanted to go on the greatest adventure of my lifetime. I went on a trip to Greenland via cruiseship. It was not one of those luxury cruise ships either. Part of what made it a great adventure was how spartan the accommodations were. It was warm and there was always good food to eat, but the boat was small, the space was crowded, and the sea was vicious all around us.

Nonetheless, the adventure was truly great. We saw whales, seals, sea lions, arctic birds, and all manner of other critters. And the glaciers were absolutely beautiful. You can't imagine a great adventure like waking up in the morning and seeing giant icy glaciers looming over you and all sides. It is absolutely breathtaking and a little bit frightening. I knew our captain was an experienced old salty seaman, but even so I feared for my life once or twice. It is easy to get caught up in your surroundings and let things get to you a little bit. Even so, without the fear it wouldn't have been such a great adventure. Knowing that I was surrounded on all sides by a hostile and barren world made everything that much more fascinating.

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