On Radical Living

Photo by Rostyslav Savchyn on Unsplash

What if we’re all running in circles... and discover at the end of our lives that this was all one big f-ing joke? But maybe the run is what’s it’s about. Not the final destination.

I like to move it, move it. Exhaustion makes me feel accomplished. Of course, all within reason. Absolute fatigue isn’t fun. Or at all necessary. We’re not built to run ourselves into the ground. As much as that’s the modus operandi for some of us.

Sometimes, I like to wander... not knowing exactly where I’ll end up. But always with some destination in mind. Walking completes me. Movement fills me up in ways sitting still cannot. I enjoy assuming the mind of a tourist. Curious. Intrigued by my surroundings. Not all that different from the mind of a toddler. A mind full of endless questions and fascination with the universe. What are the rules? What ways can I break them?

When I was a child, for a few years I had this bizarre tendency to touch objects and sniff my hand. Whether it be a peach at the supermarket.... or a flyer I picked up walking in. My mother quickly discouraged this quirky habit. And I do not blame her. It was strange. And perhaps not always the safest or most sanitary habit. So, I quickly grew out of it. But I sort of envy that mindset... the desire to connect more intimately with my surroundings in a way simple observation with one’s eyes cannot achieve. I want to explore with not just my eyes, but with my heart and soul.

This summer, I’ve been spending many weekends taking advantage of LIRR Summer Saturdays. As a monthly ticket holder, I can take a friend anywhere on the LIRR, as far east or west as we’d like, for only $1. This amazing deal has opened up the door for countless trips full of hiking and sightseeing in new locations on Long Island.

Photo by Paul Faber

Sometimes, I want to take these trips a step further. Do the unthinkable. I want to run naked through the woods without a care in the world. Rub my back against the tree bark like a caveman. Catapult off the highest cliff in the distance. And dive headfirst into the lake below with the “No Swimming” sign. It’s not as much about risk taking as it is about absolute immersion.

Of course, this is a gross exaggeration. I wouldn’t put any of these radical thoughts into action. But these thoughts sometimes do enter my brain. Sightseeing is great, but I crave a more touchy, feely experience. They say that seeing is believing. But that’s all a lie. At least for me. I’m all about them “feels”. You can Google the hell out of location, but have you dipped your feet in the water? Have you taken a moment to breathe in the fresh air around you? These are the types of sensory experiences I’m chasing more of. We shall see where this weekend takes us. *Correction*: We shall see where I take this weekend.

Photo by Paul Faber