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It’s a new year. Time for fresh starts, changes, goals and exciting opportunities.
For me, 2022 also brings a new theme, a symbol and a song. It’s a long standing tradition for me that is more than fun. The theme, symbol and song are important elements of my guidance system for the year.
This is the Year of Adventure. Discover more about what that means to me.
Year of Adventure Theme
Near the end of 2021, as my attention turned toward a new year and new possibilities, the word adventure began showing up in my awareness. That’s how my word for the upcoming year finds me. It shows up via repetition and synchronicities. I’m very familiar with the word and use it occasionally. However, in the space of a few weeks, I saw the word or representations of adventures everywhere.
With my attention caught, I looked up the word. I love etymology…the study of words.
Adventure originates from the Latin word advenire, meaning ” to arrive at or reach”. That word formed the basis for the Latin adventurus, meaning “about to happen”. For me the root words imply a sense of anticipation for something about to happen, or about to arrive.
Today adventure means an exciting, remarkable or dangerous experience.
And, I like this thought. Venture is a “daring journey”. Ad, as a prefix, means “toward”. Put those two together and I have “toward a daring journey”. That’s what I’m doing…moving toward…reaching out for…arriving for…a daring journey. I love it!
Year of Adventure Symbol
Like the word for the year, the symbol for 2022 began to show up in repetitions and synchronicities.
I’ve felt drawn to the vintage teal colored VW bus for a couple of years. It actually showed up on last year’s vision boards. And a couple of years ago I adopted a teal mini van as my travel mascot, naming her Ferni. However, beginning last fall, the symbol popped up everywhere. My great nephew Kaleb even presented me with a stack of cool vinyl stickers…many of them featuring colorful VW vans.
The vintage VW van is the perfect symbol for adventure. It represents freedom, travel, hippies, peace and fun. It became an icon of the counterculture movement in the 1960s, a symbol of protest against overpowered cars, expensive lifestyles and society in general. VW vans during that time frequently sported a peace sign on the front.
Although I’d love to own a vintage van, for the fun of driving one around, it’s not necessary. I’m charmed by the symbol and looking forward to developing a deeper relationship with it this year.
Year of Adventure Song
And finally, my song for the year arrived.
Staying open to possibilities, I listened carefully to any song that caught my interest. And then one night, while I worked on a project, my Echo Dot randomly selected “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts for my enjoyment.
I tuned in about half way through the song, then requested a second and a third playing.
“Life’s like a road that you travel on, when there’s one day here and the next day gone. Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand, sometimes you turn your back to the wind.”
The lyrics remind me that life is fleeting and I’m no longer a young woman. I’m certainly not beyond adventures, but I don’t want to wait until “someday” to enjoy them. As I’m entering my twilight years, I’m determined to ride this highway called life all…night…long…in a vintage VW van. See how perfectly that works?
If You’re Goin’ My Way
I look forward to experiencing adventure this year.
The Adventure Challenge Solo Edition scratch off book is part of my “map” for 2022. The 15 cities I want to experience definitely fall into the adventure category. My adventure list is growing longer with ideas. However, I know that adventure doesn’t always mean risky or dangerous. Jumping out of a plane is adventurous…and on my list. However, discovering different aspects of myself is just as much an adventure as exploring a new city or trying something daringly new.
Solo adventures are important to me. And sharing the adventure…with my kids and grandkids, other family members and friends…is important too, as is sharing with my community of readers.
If you’re goin’ my way…or watching and cheering me on as I zip by down the highway of life…it’s all good. I wanna drive it all night long.
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