Are you seeking security or adventure?

At this point in my life, security comes first.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve led an extremely adventurous life.

I’ve snorkeled off the vibrant Okinawan reefs. I’ve skied down a Double Black Diamond run in Wisconsin. (Granted, I was tricked to go down this slope, but I did so without falling!) I live-engine fired a previously misfired starter cartridge in a KC-135 engine. I swam in Barracuda Bay off the coast of Guam and climbed aboard our boat mere minutes before a sperm whale surfaced a few feet away. I’ve sipped on some of the best in-house made wine in a tiny little mom and pop restaurant in Italy. I’ve skinny-dipped under a full moon at Waikiki Beach more times than I can count. Donned in full combat gear, I’ve been responsible for watching for “tracers” as our plane descended into enemy territory. I’ve eaten olives the size of ping pong balls as I’ve traversed through the streets of Seville, Spain. I walked miles through the streets of New York and toured the Met, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, the 9-11 Memorial, and Top of the Rock and still didn’t feel like I experienced enough. I swam in a frigid cenote, snorkeled in coastal waters, and toured Mayan ruins in Mexico. I’ve visited some of the most amazing cathedrals and cities in Europe and learned their rich history. I’ve gone deep sea fishing, not once, but three times off the coasts of Guam and Dominican Republic. I jumped off a 40-foot cliff in Jamaica. I spent an entire day at a fully nude German sauna and loved every single uncomfortable, liberating, pampering moment of it. I’ve eaten octopus in Portugal, lumpia in Guam, a street vendor hot dog in New York, fish and chips and smooshy peas in London, chocolates in the Netherlands, and waffles in Belgium.

And these are just some of my highlights.

Today, my goal is to ensure a stable future with a sprinkling of adventure. There is a balance. We take our kids on at least one big and several small adventures per year, but the goal is to ensure my husband and I slide into retirement free from debt. Because in my mind, that is when the true adventure begins.