There’s a great line in the movie “Zorba The Greek”:

Life is trouble. Only death is not. To be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble.

I think this depends on each person but in my case it was true.

There was a time in my life where I decided to wisen up. I made a list of sources of wisdom. In no particular order: Religion, philosophy, people I knew and could ask for insights. And I started my studies because I was fed up with the way my life is going.

Because before that I was stumbling from mistake to mistake. And I liked the results less and less.

Now those mistakes, they weren’t all bad. There were moments of insight and beauty and discovery. But there was also danger, actual physical danger in some instances, and opportunity cost. By opportunity cost I mean the time I spent looking for adventure I could have studied something. I could have started a business. I could have pursued a career. I could have read a lot of books. I could have become something. Perhaps a good guitar player.

I believe now that back then I was looking for something. Certain answers and certain insights that were missing in my life. However, before I decided to actively search for wisdom in literature, I was searching for it out there, in the wide world. The source of my (very limited) wisdom was experience and mistakes had to be made.

Well, I wish I reflected more back then. I was very immature..

But, I can’t change the past.

And the line from the movie above reminds me that maybe it was alright, after all. Maybe there’s a time for silliness. For wandering aimlessly. For taking risks to learn about ourselves and life.

Indeed, it could have all ended very badly.

I got lucky.

I am not sure if it makes me a fatalist to say that we have a predisposition to certain things. And our whole life is a development towards this thing, this whatever we’re here for.

And we take detours.

Perhaps, with a wise teacher, a Mr. Miyagi of sorts, or with the right parents, we get to discover this destination sooner. I wish most people would be that lucky.

But then again those mistakes, those adventures.. they are now part of the story of my life. Yes, a smarter, more mature, more evolved person would have extracted more benefit from all these events.

But I did what we all always do: I gave it my best shot.

P.S.: On the subject of adventure and travel I want to recommend a book called “Vagabonding” by Rolf Potts. If you have itchy feet give it a try!