I love discovering that which makes my eyes pop outwards and bulge with excitement, just like a 1990’s cartoon.
These moments have pretty much the same impact you get if someone set off a firework in your bedroom in the middle of the night.
That sudden moment of,
‘’YES!’’
There are certain web sites that I have tucked away in my ‘Darren’s Inspiration’ bookmarks folder that regularly create the same kind of moments.
There are, more rarely, books that I read that make me want to jump into my running vest and sprint to the nearest landmark shouting random noises as I go.
There are particular songs that turn my body into a Jiba-Jaba that is wound up to infinity. (Remember the Jibba-Jabba?)
The worst thing is these moments don’t occur all the time and that’s why when these moments do come about, they have such an impact on my life. They turn the boring, inevitable and predictable me into someone with purpose and direction and excitement.
Following my years of hanging out with friends everyday, playing football and running around like headless chickens chasing girls (formally known as education) I have hit a brick wall with regards to the interaction I have with friends.
My story seemed to get slower and slower with infrequent visits of those with whom I used to hangout everyday.
I don’t want my story to stop. I know there is more excitement and games of stuck in the mud to be played.
Since the world of work has shown it’s persistent face with its tongue poking far out of its mouth, I have searched for that something that will bring back those times of playing micro-machines on the fallen tree and sliding in mud puddles during a five a-side football tournament.
Then came the inspiration and realisation I needed. The fireworks were set off and I was getting my running vest out of its drawer again.
The story wasn’t going to write itself. If I was to have that life of excitement and unpredictability I craved for, I needed to write it.
No longer were my mates going to come knocking on my door at the off chance I could come out and play football in the street. They wouldn’t want to fly a thousand miles only to find I had gone out for the day buying loo roll for the bathroom and cleaning cloths for the kitchen.
Donald Miller, in his book, ‘A million miles in a thousand years,’ spoke of his need for a more exciting story. He spoke of how his life was becoming a bit stale and predictable. Don decided to get on board with a hike on the Inca Trail in Peru and also a bike ride from the West of America to the East of America that his friends and colleagues tempted him with. With each one of the 3000 miles that he rode his bike, he realised the importance of doing the journey with people. In his own words, Don says:
‘’It slowly happened in our sub-conscious that though we were different, there was nobody else having these experiences with us. It was just us. We’d call and talk to the people back home about it, but all we could do was say some words about how hot it was or how much our legs hurt. But when we said those words to each other, each of us had a mental catalogue of similar experiences, and those experiences bound us together.’’
Wanting to taste what it feels like to do the journey of life with friends a little more, I have arranged for a group of friends to ride together from Lands End in south west England to John O’Groats in the northern most part of Scotland.
1000 miles in 12 days should bind us together I think.
This is just the start of my realisation of how valuable friends doing the journey of life with me is. I know that after the ride we’ll all go back to our own communities and houses; we won’t be buying a house together and forever embrace each other. But what I do know is that each person on this bike ride will have a deeper understanding of life….
Friendship.
Community.
Love.
Empathy.
Acceptance.
I don’t want the pinnacle of my story to be about toilet brushes or hovering the stairs. I want my life to be rich with people doing life together, experiencing pain and joy together and having a deeper value of friendship.
And when the bike ride is over, I’ll search for more inspiration and a new chapter in our story together. I’ll buy a bigger and more colourful firework, that’s for sure.
All Things Allwright 