The Art of Adventure

“A person practices the art of adventure when they break the chain of routine and renew their life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints” 
 ~Wilfred Peterson
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This weekend was very interesting, and filled with new adventures.  On Saturday night a group of us decided we were going to go to a wrestling match.  Although I grew up seeing the WWF wrestlers on TV (thanks to having a brother in the house, and two guys on the bus who talked about it everyday) ;-)  I've never ever been to an official wrestling event before.  Even though I grew up in the city till I was 14, most of my upbringing was in the Arts (dance, acting, singing), with an occasional stint on soccer and softball teams, and 2 years of cheerleading.  You would say I have lived a pretty foo-foo (comfortable) middle class life.  So as I was sitting in the audience on Saturday night, my girlfriends and I couldn't help but think we were in the land of Oz, with strange dream-like scenarios playing out before our eyes.  The man in front of us had his head down most of the time, with an occasional gutteral burst of "BUTTHEAD" coming out of him, as he screamed up at the wrestlers.  I scanned our row and we were all very tame, sitting perfectly in our seats and being polite.  There was a guy in the front row, shaking his cane at the tag-team, and the little girl at the end of our row screaming "GET HIM, TAKE HIM DOWN!"  Then there was the guy behind us hollering, "OH MAN YA GOT HIM RIGHT IN THE SNOTBOX!" after one of the contenders walloped a guy in the face LOL.  Of course there was far more savory language coming out, yet our row remained docile, and laughing at all the antics.

My girls!! L to R: Sheri, Stephanie, me, Jill, Missi, Brandy and Melanie

Scott "The Brauler" Brault

Then the lead act came out.  This is a man who attends our church, and we were all there to support and cheer him on!  Well all of a sudden this tranquil row decided to come alive and get the verbage out.  We started yellin and rooting for our guy, The Brauler!  Of course we kept it G, but it was so funny to see everyone finally having a good time -- whooping and hollering -- embracing the moment.  After the wrestling match we decided to go into the adjoining room where there was an 80's hairband playing rockin songs.  They were actually VERY good!  The ladies took a table and ate popcorn and peanuts; sipping on diet cokes and water, while the guys began a few games of pool.  The diversity of people were all around us: biker dudes, barmaids, corporate business people, little people, tall people, skinny, overweight, frumpy, pretty, drunk, non-drunk.  Everyone all in one place looking for one thing -- FELLOWSHIP and FRIENDSHIP.  I think the best places to have church are in bars!  Now before anyone decides to judge me and call me a backslider because I went to places like this . . . please hear me out.  I didn't realize how judgemental and prideful I was till I went on Saturday night.  In the forefront of my mind I was thinking I was wayyyy too good to be in a place like this, but once I let go and realized we are all equal in God's eyes, and that He loves each one the same (now He may not like what everyone does or what they say, but loves us each the same), I was able to enjoy my time.

In April I'll be doing my first Ironman Bike Race, and next week we are going to the Roller Derby :-O  Holy Cow are you serious???  I LOVE IT!!  A new adventure!! Should be very interesting, and wonder how much more I'll learn.  Definitely being drawn out of my comfort zone, but enjoying the ride.  All I know is we may need to balance some of this out with a jaunt to the Opera very soon  ;-) . . . ya know . . . just sayin.  Sometimes we get so caught up in our own circles of influence that we forget to explore other groups and environments.  There is an ART in being able to accept adventure, and explore new possibilities, even in some unsavory crowds.  So go out and have some fun this week and get outside your comfort zone.  See how much you learn about yourself and your surroundings.  Just stay out of trouble okay? (wink).