As human beings, are we not expected to discover greatness outside the norms of society and conformity? Should we not challenge ourselves instead of being confined in safety, only to be fed by the big spoon of the desired social system? Living, in itself, is about setting apart one’s self from the world in search of new experiences.

I recently finished reading the real life story of Christopher McCandless from the book, “Into The Wild,” by Jon Krakauer, and I came to realize that most people who aspire to do something great almost always end up not doing it.

This was a story of a college graduate who was so fed up with the brutality of 21st century society that he left his home, friends and family and hitchhiked his way to an Alaskan adventure. It may seem like a brash action taken by a young, restless man hoping to find a fix in his life, but it also points to a bigger picture that we often see but choose to ignore.

We are living in a very comfortable lifestyle right now, to say the least, and we enjoy it so much that sometimes it’s easy to get lost in it. Sure, we may deserve to enjoy the reaping of our hardships and ravel in our fruits of labor, but there is so much more out there, especially in nature, that we can appreciate.

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth,” once quoted Henry David Thoreau about relinquishing the factors we hold dear to us, such as human relationships and evil money for a substitute of bold, concrete and life-affirming experiences. Only then will we be able to look ourselves in the mirror and smile knowing that we did something no one else could, which is to strike up something new in our lives.

Now, the question is what should we do then? You can always start out small and alternate your lifestyle by either picking up reading or find a favorite spot in nature to pontificate your thoughts. And if you plan to go big, you could always take a road trip across America and experience all the little exciting wonders along the way.

My greatest goal is to drive from New York to California in what would be the ultimate road trip of my life. I have thought about it for quite some time now and I realized that it’s not something I should think too much about when all I have to do is just take off. Then again, it’s easy to say it right now while I’m being protected in my comfortable dorm room filled with everything I need to survive.

But the plan in this life is not to survive, but to live. And in order to do so, I have to take a moment in my life to do something drastic and dangerous enough that most people would not attempt to do the same. Only then, can I be satisfied and continue living.
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