Uncaged

I do not consider myself to be particularly daring. At the ripe age of 23, the idea of a cup of tea paired with a Harry Potter movie, cancelled plans, and bedtime before ten o’clock excite me more than I would like to admit. I am constantly fascinated by the ability of my peers to stay awake past midnight without batting an eye, while I traverse in and out of a dream state at the dinner table. My old soul relishes the solace of rest and self care, but my young heart still craves satisfaction every now and then. After all, what is the purpose of a life without a dash of adventure and a sprinkle of thrill? Unfortunately, a night consisting of ten hours of sleep is not exactly conducive to such antics. I have found that in some situations, allowing yourself to step out of your comfort zone, even just for a minute, could be the key to creating some of the most vibrant memories imaginable.

If you have ever been to a concert that you have thoroughly enjoyed, you know how easy it is to become engulfed in the atmosphere of verve and vivacity. The closer-knit the crowd, the fiercer the passion of the performer, the more you feel it. The energy level at this particular show made every cell in my body feel like it was on fire, every ounce so alive and untethered. Sometimes that spark is all you need to do something bold yet impulsive (hopefully in a good way, which in this case it was.) From one minute to the next, I went from being pressed against a barricade, floating among a wave of strangers, to finding myself onstage with my friend by my side. The lights were blinding and I could hardly breathe, but I still felt my heart racing while every fiber of my being sang along to the lyrics. It was both fleeting and endless. It made every prior monotonous experience and task worth it, because they all led up to that moment of clarity and perspective. I looked out to the sea of unfamiliar faces, beaming with smiles of pure ecstasy, screaming along to the music and looking at us with expressions of equal admiration and amusement. I closed my eyes and smiled, standing there for what seemed like days, soaking it all in.

When I returned to my spot in the crowd I was greeted with hugs, laughter, a whole lot of joy, and our neighbors yelling “I can’t believe you did that, that was insane!” I laughed along, half out of nerves and half out of exhilaration as the adrenaline rushed through my veins. I could barely believe it either. In what seemed like an ephemeral minute, I came to the realization that life is too short to limit yourself to the boundaries that you arbitrarily create. Although my warm bed with its unmade sheets, topped with a fuzzy blanket and satin pillow will forever be highly esteemed in my heart, memories like those serve as tough competition (just kidding... kind of.) In all seriousness, I believe that there is no other way to live life to its greatest capacity than to occasionally take a walk on the wild side and become comfortable with being a bit uncomfortable. You just have to take a deep breath and act. If you let that impulse pass, you could potentially miss out on integral empowering experiences. Realizing the depth of your courage is never an easy task, but you will be surprised at the transformation it brings once you do.