Expedition: Unleash the Truth

I believe in the art of journey. I believe each spontaneous endeavor builds, paints, and sculpts our developing character. Each time we attempt any excursion—grueling or simple—our boundaries are extended, thus, exposing our true selves. Every individual journey is unique in importance, whether it is replicated Man vs. Wild mission to survive or a Saturday night joy ride to pass the time.

There are a limited number of weekend activities for teenagers. The movie theater, mall, coffee shops, and basements suffice for approximately one week of summer or one month’s worth of weekends. There comes a point in every teen’s life when they must cruise. Once every so often, my cruising colleagues and I decide fun will involve wasting gas while yelling out the window. We buzz around the busy, people-infested streets “complimenting” the roaming night wanderers; while, we hope for feedback. One night we flawlessly executed the hollering routine, and the victims rushed in frenzy toward our puttering vehicle. With the desired feedback accomplished, we sped away in laughter after the heart thumping fright. We laughed, for we knew we’d never see them again. We laughed because we escaped the stresses of life for that brief moment. Because we laughed, we opened ourselves to the world. We welcomed every aspect and feeling of life, better preparing our acceptance of tomorrow.

These pedestrian late night drives allow a freedom of expression. The false exteriors portrayed to impress random passerbys are discarded and free spirits prevail. The beauty of the journey lies in the absence of regrets. We can act like the crazy energetic souls we truly are without overvaluing another’s opinion.

We hear too often from older generations to live our days free of worries, and too often we tune out sentences consisting of “If I were young again…” Instead of neglecting our sense of hearing, we should transform the advice into physicality. Thus, we can save ourselves from disappointment and guilt. However, just as activities are limited, so is time. Life is a journey within itself and rather unpredictable. Let’s regard no one’s opinion of our appearance. Let’s dive, drive, hike, or swim into a journey, for today’s journeys mold our character, our future.