The Adventurer Returns (A Metaphor)

    As soon as her sleepy eyes opened from a much needed nap, the adventurer knew she was almost home. The towering slopes of the mountains had leveled out to become flat fields, as if a baker had smoothed out lumpy cookie dough. Although she had enjoyed the mountains and constantly marveled at their guarding presence, there was something welcoming about the fields as well. Some people felt bare and exposed like a bug on a glass table because of the immense panoramic view, but she didn't mind the exposure.

She always tried to find the beauty in everything.

    

     She was an adventurer, an explorer of knowledge. She was still quite new to the job, only being on her own for a couple months, yet she already felt as if she had been on her own for quite some time. It amazed her to see how much she had learned in so short of a time. Her years preparing for her journey had served her well and she couldn't wait to tell her mentors all of her discoveries about herself and the world. She was returning back to her home base for a brief respite before returning to the Great Unknown, which wasn't so scary as it was before.

    

    The young explorer flipped open her journal to review all of her exploration notes, which described all of her observations. Most of the people she met on her journey had no idea how perceptive she was and how extensive her notes were. Although she seemed bubbly and excited everywhere she went, her mind never stopped analyzing the situations she was in. Her notes were well thought.

    

     She had met many people on her exploration, many of whom she became friends with in the short amount of time she was with them. She often thought of them on her journey back to home base. There was the sweet and friendly girl who was very perceptive of other peoples needs, the interesting and enthusiastic girl who always wanted to make the journey full of life, the boy filled with stories and entertainment for the team, the girl who was both quiet and loud at the same time who surprised everyone with her musical skills, the girl who acted as the mother for the group by always looking out for them, and the boy who always brought the group together as one big family. These were only a few of the interesting people she met on her exploration and she found them all intriguing. She would definitely give them a good report when she returned.

    

     At last her eyes spotted home base, which stood smaller than she had remembered. Warm feelings of familiarity flooded her soul when she looked upon it. A smile crossed her lips without her even knowing it.

She was back.

    

     However, it was not the same place. Don't get me wrong. The building itself had not changed at all. There was still the same furniture in its usual places, the same music played over the speakers, and the same schedule was kept by its precious inhabitants. It was the adventurer who had changed. Her life had been so different in the last few months that this life had somewhat faded away like a pleasant dream. It was as if she returned to a good story only to realize that the feelings she had had while she was reading it were not there any more. When the young explorer walked in her old room she laughed! It was exactly how she left it, but it did not feel like hers anymore. It was a strange feeling.

It was strange knowing that she had returned home but didn't quite belong there anymore.

    

     After a few days of settling into the old routine, the adventurer started to desire her new life again. Home base was nice, but she missed the rush of adrenaline and the undiscovered experiences of the unexplored. She missed the companions she had met along the way. Although her heart longed for the comforts of home, inside she knew that she didn't quite belong there anymore. That was alright.

Every season of life is special.

 Every moment is precious.

Every new adventure is exciting.

     Life is a continuous adventure, and she was ready to ride it for all it was worth!