Life is so much better when we are truly here to experience it. Living in the modern world, its easy to get caught up in the worry and routine of day to day life.

Sometimes we just need to snap out of it; to stop thinking about life and start living life. And sometimes, the most unlikely helpers will show up to remind us of this simple fact.

My Porcupine Story

Here’s how it all went down.

It was six PM. The sun was setting, the air was crisp, fog rose from the last melting snow. I was running barefoot through the rolling fields that surround my house…but I wasn’t really there. I was somewhere in my head, cycling through the same useless worries and repetitive blah that I sometimes fall into to. Despite the meditation I routinely practice, I had slipped into the same old trap, barely aware of my surroundings, unable to shake the mental fog I’d been lost in all afternoon.

Rounding a hill, I saw a rocky creek bed and headed towards it, wheeling recklessly down the bank. My legs were on auto pilot. My mind was a million miles away, barely aware as I reached the edge and launched into the air.

And then it happened.

Triggered by a freakishly-human grunt, my eyes shot downward. Below my bare feet lay a porcupine, a ball of brown razor sharp quills, obviously experiencing the same adrenaline rush that I was. All of a sudden, I was moving in slow motion, legs spinning like a bugs bunny cartoon, searching for ground. When I landed I was in a dead sprint, hurtling away like a man on fire, a stream of surprisingly creative swear words erupting from my lips.

Still sprinting, I shot a glance over my shoulder, half expecting to see that little quill ball chasing me down, fangs bared, like some carnivorous pin cushion. But then I remembered. Two pound rodents don’t tend to maliciously attack humans.. Do they?

When I was a safe distance away, I stopped, my chest rising and falling in rhythmic terror. And in that moment, I had a small epiphany. I suddenly realized that my mental noise was gone.. The fog had lifted, leaving in its place an intense clarity. The grass seemed greener, the sky bluer. The evening sun filtered through the clouds, lighting every tree with a touch of fire I had missed just a moment before.

Still shaking with adrenaline, I laughed at the utter incredulity of my situation. That little porcupine had scared me back into the present moment, back into life.

Now it’s your turn

For some people, reading a post like this will be enough. By becoming aware of our thoughts, they often subside… At least for the time being.

For others however, breaking free from the funk that is weighing them down will require more than subtle awareness. It will require decisive action.

While you certainly don’t have to hurdle a porcupine, in fact I don’t recommend it, go do something that makes you feel alive.

Something that gets your heart racing, your blood pumping. Not something dangerous but something out of the ordinary. Something that requires your full attention.

In short: Go have an adventure.

It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60, we could all use a little more adventure in our lives.

Run outside, go somewhere new, sign up for a class you’ve never tried…

Adventure looks different for everyone, so choose your own porcupine, and then jump over it :)

Decide to better yourself, your relationships, and the planet by making a positive shift in your life today.

To your health and happiness,

Logan