On Adventure

They say you need to have adventure in your genes to have a liking for it; that explains why i was never adventurous since none of my parents are, and i was always brought up under the impression that adventures are always silly, and may cost you a lot.

Then i came across examples of some great people of this world, who had to lead an adventurous life since the circumstances called for them, and achieved greatness. The more i read, the more it became clear that living itself is an adventure and when there is always a risk even while walking on a so called safe footpath, whats wrong in seeking out some thrills?

I came across another form of adventure - the more popular one. People say that 'doing this gives me the thrill'; that 'standing on the edge of an abyss or a slippery stone on the sea makes me feel great about myself'. My mind never agreed to this, since i knew that when there's danger of losing ones life while enjoying certain things, better be a member of the moderate class.

Let me relate an incident. My project team had gone for a trip to harihareshwar and there was a point, which people are supposed to visit for sacred reasons. As usual, most of us go there for other things - photography, shouting, cuddling etc. What made it glorious was that there was the sea shore at a stone's throw, and was pretty deep and raging. There was a point where the stone turned slippery and this is where most of my colleagues wanted to go, stand and have their share of thrill.

The people who had been staying around for a very long time warned them not to go, but my colleagues considered them a nuisance and did what they knew best - following their whims; 'life's too short to listen to the whinings of cowardly idiots who have nothing to do but sermonise, isnt it?'

Poor localites - their intentions were noble but what they received was ingratitude. Seems they were too naiive to understand that these folks(my colleagues) belonged to a class of individuals who consider that they are the masters of their own lives and live by the principle that "I am gonna die here, then so be it. Who the hell are u to tell me how i should live my life - its mine and mine alone, and i may just throw it to the dogs while seeking what i want."

On enquiring with the localites (they had all my understanding), they said that they had witnessed almost 56 such cases of accidental deaths and simply wanted to warn us, since its definitely a bad event and a more importantly a pain in the ass if someone dies there - we all know how investigations take place in our Country.

Today, i was speaking about this with a dear friend of mine and her argument was similar to that of my adventurous colleagues. It was then that i realised that i need to think about what makes adventure good or worth taking.

The noble souls who dignified adventure, did it for a noble cause. The intentions are always important, and at time extreme outcomes too can be risked - the intention must worth dying for. But how many of us think about the worthiness of intentions? Between getting a simple thrill, and trying to save a life or your own Motherland, tell me which is more justified as a reason for a life-threatening adventure?

Nothing against the people who like fatal thrills, just that a polite request to all such folks - please dont justify it - if you are ready to bet your life, better try it for something that deserves your life. A sheer thrill of a moment, if thats your reason, then you need to rethink your sanity. Its a different matter if you just dont care - to hell with you and your life, people die like ants daily and if u go up, not much difference to this World its gonna make.

You say you dont fear death, but i can see fear in your eyes whenever you take one single step - the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of the unknown. Clear these off first, be men and then talk of things like this. You will be then prepared to throw away this life.

I am still afraid of death, for i feel its too precious for a momentary thrill.

I realise the pains that numerous people have taken to get me where i am, and am aware of the pains that i may cause by one act of negligence.

I am not so selfish and senseless to risk this precious gift for a moment of adventurous ecstacy.

I would rather work on becoming courageous and then throw it away for a reason that shall make me rest in peace even if my end is not peaceful and beautiful - it would definitely be dignified, with no chance for the world to call me a silly fool who died for no good reason.

Not that i care too much for what the world says, but would love to create great examples in this world, which would eventually be better coz of them, and that is definitely a duty for me.

One thing is certain that i am slowly realising that what our elders say is always true. Now thats another thing that we need to be experimental, but lets keep one thing in mind, that when its the matter of life and death, let the cause for the adventure better be a deserving one...:)