Settlers and Explorers

Two roads diverged in a wood and I --

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

--Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken, 1920)

I have a friend who at some point back in 1987 decided he'd heard all the new music he would ever need to hear.  Don't get me wrong, he loves music, but now he'd no longer need anything new.  I'm not saying this was a conscious decision.  By no means.  Who would do that?  Rather, he just scoffs at the notion that there might be a new CD he might want to buy that wasn't produced in the 80's or prior (I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit).  I know this because he once asked me while driving if I LIKED(!) Michael Bolton (there it goes again).  Anyway, I find this fascinating, not so much that someone actually enjoys Michael Bolton, but more the fact of how people reach a point in their lives where they say "yup, I'm good."  "All set, thank you."  And they don't move from there.  "No more new experiences for me."  "I've got all I need right here."  This is a concept I will never understand.  But it shows me there are at least two types of people in this world:  Those who settle and those who explore.  I consider myself the latter and am blown away by the former.  I'm not exaggerating.  It amazes me.  Now again, don't think I don't enjoy things that I've enjoyed before, I do.  I'm a huge fan of things that I liked before and will continue to like again.  But here's the point, they need to be mixed in with new and exciting experiences that will become future favorite pasts.  What is also crazy about this is a settlers reluctance to try new things.  For example the fear that shows up in someone's eyes when someone suggests they try a new food.  You know these people, you perhaps are one.  You have 4-5 mainstay, go-to meals and that's about it.  When you go to a restaurant you order the same thing, even if its a different place.  Basically, you like chicken fingers A LOT.  Probably with barbeque sauce and feel like you're going to die if the place doesn't have Dr. Pepper.  Yeah, I know you.  Scary, isn't it?  I blame your parents.  They are completely the narrow-minded by-product of their own parents narrow mindedness and they're now perpetuating it on to you.  Its not your fault Will... its not your fault Will...  its not your fault Will.  (that's a Good Will Hunting reference for those of you who just watched Harry and the Henderson's for the 10,000th time).  You get uncomfortable with the very thought of trying something that obviously a great percentage of others enjoy routinely.  You see people enjoying things, you hear about them doing it and you physically shiver.  "Ewwww," you say.  "I could never."  You can't fathom the idea of stepping out of the box, the box is comfortable and everything outside of it...  you literally fear.  You probably get the bitter beer face when someone mentions the word sushi and head for the bathroom when the singer says "we're gonna play a new song for you now."  Don't try to deny it!  Its true and you know it.  But now that I've exposed you I want to give you some hope.  You see, in some ways I used to be you.  I had all kinds of walls that I had no real explanation for other than that's the way I grew up.  But now I don't pigeon hole myself into anything.  I look forward to trying something new.  And when I do sometimes its good, sometimes not so much.  Bear in mind though, I'm not thinking in my head that I somehow need to score a touchdown each time.  The key is enjoying the journey.  Enjoy the experience.  I don't settle and neither should you.  Think about it for  a moment, what it is you are doing.  Think about the people who settled in like... Ohio!  My goodness talk about setting your sights low.  Hey here's a big patch of land, let's live here!  Who wants to be that guy?  OHIO??!!  Nothing against the fine people who live there now, but in 1720 I don't imagine there was much to call home.  I mean the Great Lakes to the north, the Appalachians to the south, what made you stop there?  I want to be the guy who didn't stop until he hit an ocean. Lewis & Clark saw Ohio and said "there has to be something better out there, let's keep going..."  And go they did.  The Mississippi, the Rocky Mountains, The Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the Pacific all waited for them.  But Ohio dudes said, naaahhh I'm good, and built a chair.  I think we need to find out what the thing is that puts up the invisible wall.  What makes an explorer settle.  Everyone has to be an explorer at some point.  Why stop now?  And if you're a parent, don't let your children stick up their noses at new things.  Especially the foods.  There is no better way to find out about a people than to enjoy what they enjoy and that starts with the chow.  Yeah, it may be horrible, but then you'd know.  Trust me, you won't die.  And they're would probably be a great story at some point.  

--finn