Leaving the Comfort Zone

The best thing I did all summer was swim in the blue pools. The water was bitter – 50 at best, possibly mid 40s. Slowly, I lowered my body into the icy pool. I thought myself crazy, I should just get dressed and stay where it’s warm and sunny. But, I persevered. And then, for fifteen fabulous minutes, I kicked my feet and felt the arctic fingers sting my body. My heart pumped, I laughed and played. It was truly exhilarating; I didn’t want to get out.

Isn’t it so? It’s not the sumptuous meal we hold dear, nor the squandered afternoon in the sun. It’s those times we have felt challenged, when we have confronted fear or failure or harsh elements that we remember and cherish. It’s when we have left our comfort zone that we feel most alive.

I recently saw “Man on Wire” - loved it. And, while I have no desire to tightrope across anything, let alone thousands of feet above the ground without a net, I completely get Phillipe Petits. I can’t remember his exact quote. But, at one point he expresses a profound need to cross the Towers. He saw it as beauty, art and a measure of true living. One fall and it’s over, yet for forty minutes, he dances on the wire in a state of euphoria.

I suspect, but don’t know for sure, that Phillipe lived comfortably. I understand if one is hungry, cold, lonely – then the very act of existence is a quest for a comfort zone. To leave a comfort zone, one’s basic needs must be met. But, if one has reached some level of security, then I highly recommend taking a step outside of it. Make a speech, swim in arctic waters, bungee jump, walk four days in the rain, sweat. Make your heart race and choose to feel uncomfortable.

I used to think astronauts were crazy. Why would anyone dare to do something so dangerous? What motivates the person climbing Mt. Everest, collecting venom from sea snakes, throwing oneself unnecessarily into life threatening situations? Those folks aren’t content to put a toe outside the comfort zone, they throw their bodies out into the stratosphere. These days I understand them a bit more.

Me, I’ll never seek that level of adventure. Never touch a venomous snake nor blaze a trail in an unfamiliar and inhospitable environment. I’ll never sell all my possessions, burn my life savings. I’ll never leave the comfort zone completely. I’m not that brave. At best, I may skydive next.

“Everyone needs a quest as an excuse for living,” Bruce Chatwin (author, adventurer)

This year I did the Weetbix Triathlon. It is one of the largest kids' triathlons in the world. When I first got there I was not afraid. I saw all the other kids and I thought this is going to be so fun. There might be bad parts, but usually when I do something like this I have a whole lot of fun.

When I put my bike in there I thought I might never find it. We put a purple towel over my bike to help me find it, but I thought other people might have a purple towel also. There were a lot of bikes.

After I had finished swimming, I ran right to my bike and found it right away. I had to take off my swim cap, I had to put on my shirt and shoes and stuff like that. And then I started biking. I was quite fast. I passed like 5 people at the beginning, but once we went around one of the corners a kid smacked into me and I fell off my bike. I got right back on and started biking again. And I passed some more people. When I got back to the bike area I put my bike back in its spot and right away I started running.

At the beginning I passed a few kids and then at the end Dean was telling me to use my last burst of energy. I used it wisely when I passed a couple at the end, one of which I knew. That's Rylee in the picture, and me. I had a whole lot of fun I got a shiny gold medal and I want to do it again next year. P.S. I didn't win anything. Except the medal. And a shirt. And a swimcap. But everybody got that. By Andrew.