When I saw my dad for the first time after Steve died, he gave me a huge hug and said “He made you an adventurer.”
My dad couldn’t be more right. Stephen encouraged me to try so many new things, and in my ten years with him, I went on adventures I never would have imagined.
On Wednesdays, I cultivate my adventurous spirit.
Before meeting Steve, I would not have described myself as an adventurer. I really wanted to be, but I had a lot of anxiety whenever I’d go outside my comfort zone. I would force myself to do adventurous things, but it always triggered a lot of big overwhelming emotions, and it was never easy.
For example, I had dreamed of living in Chicago since I was young, and I took all the necessary steps to make that a reality, but when it finally came time to load up the car and move into an apartment for my internship, I was so frightened. What was I thinking trying to move to a huge city, when I grew up in a miniscule town of 1500 people? I had no idea how to use public transit or interact with homeless people. I eventually figured it out and adjusted well, but those first few months were very stressful, to say the least.
When I met Stephen, I was immediately drawn to his fearlessness and adventurous spirit. He told me about living in Mexico, studying painting in Paris, and working with the aboriginals in Australia. I thought, “That’s the kind of life I want to live!” And he was able to do it all with an amazing lack of anxiety, which I found inspiring.
These are just a few examples of the many new experiences I got to share with Steve:
- Snorkeling: I had never tried snorkeling before meeting Stephen. On our first international trip together to Jamaica, we hopped on a glass-bottom boat and went out to a reef off the shore of Negril. The moment I stuck my head down in the water, I thought, “How have I lived 25 years without doing this?!” I immediately fell in love with snorkeling. We incorporated snorkeling into many of our world travels: Italy, Mexico, Aruba, Thailand, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas.
- Paddleboarding: I don’t think I even knew what a paddleboard was before meeting Stephen. It was something I was initially nervous to try because I don’t have the greatest sense of balance, but I got the hang of it quickly, and it became one of our favorite activities. When we lived in Chicago, he bought us two inflatable SUPs and we would take them out on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. We even traveled with them overseas when we were feeling extra adventurous! And living in Florida was a paddleboarder’s paradise: so many marshes, creeks, and bays to explore.
- Our Honeymoon: Our greatest adventure of all was bareboat chartering a yacht in Thailand so we could sail around the Phang Nga Bay for two weeks. I never would have imagined going on such an epically adventurous honeymoon! We were enamored by the natural beauty of the region and the kindness of the Thai people. And having a boat all to ourselves with the freedom to build our own itinerary was truly extraordinary.
Adventure Fills Your Soul
Stephen helped me to realize that adventure doesn’t have to be frightening. If you approach the experience with a sense of confidence, faith, and wide-eyed wonder, you have the opportunity to discover new parts of yourself and glean wisdom from other cultures.
Thank you Steve, for filling my soul with an adventurous spirit. I cherish all the memories of our epic adventures together, and I look forward to having many more, knowing that you will be by my side in spirit.