Taking a Walk on the Wild Side

Morning broke with the first ray of sunlight. The autumn air filled my nostrils with joy and anticipation. The beginning of another day. Always cause for celebration. I walked slowly to my car accompanied by a gentlemen friend. He slipped his arm around my waist and drew me close to him. We said nothing more to one another. He took the key from my hand and unlocked my door. Making sure I was safe inside the car, he bent down and kissed me softly on my lips and shut the door. He waited until I started the engine and drove off before walking away. The silence in the car was deafening, but the radio would have been intrusive. I kept my eyes firmly on the road ahead, looking back would have been a mistake.

Society places all of us in our boxes. Most of us stay safely inside them. Some of us venture outside the box. Those of us that do are both admired and pitied. We often stand alone and feel alone. So what drives us?

Why the undeniable pull toward the unknown and the road less traveled? If I had to venture a guess, I would suppose it to be the equivalent to taking a walk on the wild side. To standing on the other side of the line, while looking at all those who chose not to. Few consider themselves different, fewer still ever want to be classified as different.

The airport is quiet. People are not yet fully awake, and the smell of coffee draws the early travelers to the bar. With my carry on in hand, and my best foot forward, I order my coffee and take a seat. My adrenalin is pumping and I feel a renewed sense of adventure. My flight leaves in less then an hour. The thought gives me a rush. The start of another day in another country makes me almost giddy.

Life begins. My life. It was not a conscience thought to be different or challenging, it was an innate knowing that I was...