When the first mountaineers climbed the first high mountains, most people thought they were crazy (chances are, even today most people think that is insane), but they did it anyway. For outsiders, it was a great adventure: something daring and full of danger. For them, it was just something they had to do, a certainty in life: the mountain had to be climbed. They prepared as much as they could and went on their journey to reach the summit. Once there, they paused and came back down. Mission accomplished.

The word “adventure” comes from the French word aventure, which originally comes from the Latin word adevenire, meaning “to arrive”, as in arriving here from somewhere else. That was exactly what mountaineers did: they simply arrived at the top of the mountain coming from below. How the word’s meaning transformed itself to become “an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks” (Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary)? Well, maybe because back to those days, “arriving” somewhere was, in truth, overcoming many perils. The risk of being robbed or even killed was very high. Travelling was, indeed, a great adventure, every time. Not today, especially in developed countries. Security and certainty are something we take for granted so much that we get upset (or have the right to make complaints) when the trip does not go how it was advertised.

We often say that “life is an adventure”. The truth is we never know what may arrive. It is just like climbing a mountain, really. You can prepare and imagine everything that is going to happen and exactly how it is going to happen, and then suddenly there is a storm and everything changes. Arriving at your destination may seem harder, certainty less secure. No matter how well prepared you are, it may not be enough. We get used to life being sure and predictable, but it really is not. Not even Earth is that stable – hence climate change. Volcanos, earthquakes, floodings, avalanches, droughts, tornados, wildfires, can arrive at any moment and change the course of our lives. However, life can change with “ordinary events” like being fired from your job, having a baby, going on a business trip, meeting new people. Life is made of events that can have unexpected results and lead you to arrive at a different destination from the one you initially intended.

So, nowadays, “adventure” refers to something that is out of the norm. The norm is supposed to be certain and well-defined, whether in life, business, or leisure time. It is what society tells you it is and it is what you are supposed to do. This may change from country to country and, for sure, in different periods of time. For example, building and trying airplane prototypes was a great adventure until they found the right design. Now, airplanes have a norm and they are a certainty. Catching a train in some countries is a certainty: you just need to look at the timetable and the train will leave at the designated platform and time (with more or less delay). Yet, in some countries, catching a train is a true adventure: you never know when there will be one and, if you manage to catch one, you will never know when the train will arrive at its destination… or even if it changes destination mid-way!

If we do a search through the Internet for adventure, the results usually revolve around travelling to exotic places or extreme experiences. In reality, it is a commercial package: the idea is for you to pay for an endeavour only available for very few people, usually people with a lot of money. Sometimes, strangely, “adventure” is connected to “luxury”, which makes total sense in light of the business concept, but makes no sense to the pure concept of adventure. After all, “luxury” is something that is certain and adventure is something that is unpredictable. So, you pay for an adventure holiday and expect to have the full experience as advertised. What if you do not? For example, outdoor adventures may be dependent on the weather. You have one week to do your activity, but it might be cancelled for security reasons… Ironic. On the other hand, there are experiences that are supposed to be very predictable, but turn into an adventure when something goes wrong. A beach holiday can be transformed into a jungle expedition if it is raining all the time. Or you can stay inside the resort, playing board games… which may be a discovery by itself.

In a nutshell, certainty is an illusion and everything is an adventure because it always involves a risk. You may or may not arrive at the place you wanted to go. If you get there, your journey may or may not be as you thought it would be. What is certain is that you will get somewhere. So, live the adventure!

 
Sources:

• “Aventure” (Dictionnaire de l’Académie française)
• “Adventure” (Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary)

 

 

Age is just a number. Confirm it with Odilon Martins, a rower who still trains daily and competes after 78 years. He is 96 and says his health comes from his sportive life. Check the report from Reuters.

 
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