The Adventure Called Life

“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing [at all].” –Helen Keller

Last week, my husband and I had the immense privilege of traveling abroad to Prague, Czech Republic, a sweepingly beautiful country in Eastern Europe. We knew the trip would be an adventure, but in every way, our experiences exceeded our expectations. Of course, as travel and change are sometimes difficult, on our first day in Europe last week, our oldest son broke his arm in the States. Thankfully, our son received good care and is on the mend, but with that situation combined with our lack of internet access, last week’s blog did not get posted … perhaps later on this week.

To share, a few highlights of our time in Czech Republic:

With grand Prague Castle perched high above the Vltava River, even a single glimpse of Prague is impressive. On one warm day we were there, we walked the Charles Bridge among tourists and street vendors, took in the sights, and watched the colorful rowboats out for evening river rides. The Prague Castle dazzled us at night as its illuminated reflection danced across the Vltava, as we strolled along admiring the scene from the other bank.

History and romance reign in Prague’s Old Town, with cobblestone streets and open squares and cathedrals and monuments and quaint shops and open-air restaurants. Inspiring architecture and rich tradition saturate the ambiance in Old Town, showcasing the musical gems of opera and symphony, religious landmarks with centuries’ old spires and stained glass, and historical sites such as the Old Town Square and its Astronomical Clock circa 1410.

A city with a high “green” ratio, Prague boasts many forests and parks and public gardens to visit, creating a pleasant balance between buildings and nature. Outside Prague, countryside stretches over rolling hills patched by crops and lined with waving crimson poppies. Beautiful!

Though the dominating language in Czech Republic is Czech, the people were welcoming and kind, and we found many spoke some English.
This summer, we will be relocating to Prague for an expat assignment for my husband’s work. During last week’s trip, we accomplished the objectives of finding housing, investigating the city, and registering our children for school. We are all excited to set off on a new adventure in Prague!

Life can be viewed through various lenses. But, as Helen Keller famously noted (quoted above), life really only sings when it’s seen through the lens of possibility. Whether it’s moving across the world, or walking across the room to make a new friend, our lives are completely made up of our choices -- choices toward or away from adventure. Looking at life through the lens of possibility, life can be a daring adventure. Here’s to squeezing every last drop of life out of today, and every day … to the Adventure called Life.