I wanted to kick off my new Adventure Music Life blog with an amazing story—with a bang, if you will. Only the bang that occurred in my life wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. The very weekend before the planned launch date, I was in an unbelievable car accident. I say unbelievable because I walked away from a mangled car that was deemed a total loss. The car was destroyed, the air bags did not deploy, but the seat belt certainly saved my life. Sure, I was banged up and bruised, but so what? I lived.
In the days that have followed, my thoughts and emotions ranged from disbelief, fear, sadness, and absolute elation. We only live once, and in a second, it could have all been over for me. Could this be a wake-up call? A chance for me to reevaluate some paths I have chosen?
We’ve all heard it before: We take life for granted. We only get so many trips around the sun, so do what makes you happy. Yes, we’ve heard this and understand it, but are we doing anything about it?
Similar to my experience in my About Me page, I’m realizing again and again that, although I believe I’m on the right path now, I’m still doing too much, over-committing, trying to fit it all in. Perhaps this is an opportunity for me to remember that slowing down is an adventure, too. Sometimes the adventure is in intentional enjoyment. Planning or taking advantage of a day of relaxation, watching movies, and “doing nothing” can sometimes be just as inspirational as journeying to a new place.
Today, I remembered an episode of The X-Files (Season 7, Episode 17, “All Things”)—the only episode written by Gillian Anderson—that I had seen more than a decade ago, but it made a lasting impression. I watched that episode tonight, and again felt the connection to the message. The opening of the show starts with Anderson’s character Dana Scully narrating:
Time passes in moments. Moments, which rushing past, define the path of a life. Just as surely as they lead towards its end. How rarely do we stop to examine that path? To see the reasons why all things happen. To consider whether the path we take in life is our own making, or simply one into which we drift with eyes closed. But, what if we could stop? Pause to take stock of each precious moment before it passes. Might we then see the endless forks in the road that have shaped a life? And, seeing those choices, choose another path?
In the episode, Scully, who was nearly in a car accident, connects with a physicist turned metaphysical healer and hears that car accidents are “often the end results of us not paying attention to something.” The healer continues, “Accidents … often remind us that we need to keep our mind open to the lessons [they] give. You may want to slow down.” And, of course, “everything happens for a reason.”
I’m not necessarily turning into a metaphysician here, but I do sincerely appreciate the message from the show that I watched as well as my personal wake-up call. Appreciate life. Enjoy life. There is no need to fit it all in. Let some things go. Slow down. Relax. Continue to find adventure anywhere, no matter how big or how small.
