Adventure

Where do we quench our taste for adventure in the modern life? In ancient times as at the Battle of Thermopylae, subject of the recent film "300" men had the opportunity to fight and die for what they believed in. I suppose that we do today as well, but the idea of glory and honor and true patriotism seem to be far from the modern trend. Whereas the ancient Spartans were honored for their fighting, we spit on and insult our soldiers when they return from the lands on which they defend our freedom. The Battle of the 300 went down in history as an example in which free men defended their free lands against a force that far outnumbered them, and succeeded in holding them off until their secret was betrayed. Where is this in the modern day? Name one way in which a man who has the desire for glory and honor can find satisfaction in this American life. Men in the US it seems are neutered these days and have no concept of what it means to fight, to defend freedom, to maintain honor, to seek glory! The battlefield has become the business world in which passive arms such as clothing and other possessions are the arms used to demonstrate superiority over other men, and battles are launched in meetings with Starbucks in hand. What have we become? Where does a man who desires to stand and fight for what is right find a place amongst such as these?

For those of you who enjoy the modern setting, I challenge you to look beyond the setting that for us has become normal. It is not normal. Nowhere else in the world do they have such luxuries as we possess here in the US. No I do not want to have to fight for my every daily meal, but I do see the value for a man in what that would mean for his concepts of freedom, honor, and glory. Today we use our freedoms not to defend, but to kill. We may look on the Spartans as barbarians for killing the children that did not fit a standard, and for forcing their young men into such fighting. But there is value there, there is something in the man's soul that calls out for this, that desires to reach beyond this ordinary and at times mundane every day life.

And there are arenas wherein this battle may be fought. They have only to be found by following the desires of our hearts. Some find it in sporting competition, others in political debate, some in theological and philosophical discussion, and still others find it in defending their country as part of the military forces. Perhaps the manifestation of our quest for adventure will be different for each one of us, but every single one of us, whether we admit it or not, has a thirst for adventure that stands ready to be quenched. We can live our whole lives never quenching this thirst, but won't we then be living a life of quiet desperation, one that seeks what it cannot have? Why do this? Seek adventure, run to the next thing that inspires you and thrust yourself in with all your might! Do not ask what tomorrow will bring, but fight the battle of life today! Life is too short....tomorrow you may fertilize the ground and be the food of worms, but today, oh today, you may fight!

When quiet desperation threatens our lives, let us not waver in our defense of adventure, in fulfilling this desire inside us, but rather let us say to those who would question our pursuits, who want us to be like everyone else, "Come try and take it from me," but they will not be able to, because it lives inside of and drives us to live more fully every day. "Come and get them" is what Leonidas said to the Persians who commanded him to lay down his arms, let us say the same as we take up our own in our fight for what is good and true in this ever-too-short life!