Eden

As a child, I loved going on adventures. I grew up on a hill with my backyard extending into dark woods that I liked to explore. The hill was so steep, you could tumble down it with one bad step, and once you got to the bottom there was no easy way to get back up.

I didn't like being there by myself because it was creepy so I'd only explore when I had company. We'd traverse the hillside until we reached a creek at the bottom and every time we would find a children's toy down there, worn and covered in grime. We generally didn't speak for fear that someone or something would hear us, but we could always tell what each other were thinking. The toys looked sad despite their happy imagery, like they were lost or discarded years ago and concealed their tragic pasts behind their stitched smiles. When it grew dark, we would leave the toy where we found it and return another day to find a new one replacing the old.

Today, I still love going on adventures, but I realized that a big part of what I love about it comes from doing it with someone else. Knowing there's someone else sharing what you're feeling is comforting. The world feels massive when you're by yourself but when you're with friends, you feel you can conquer anything.

To me, part of what defines an adventure is getting to share the experience with other people, and I think as human beings, discovering the world together is how we stay connected and strengthen ourselves as a whole. Some self discoveries are only made when you're with company, and it's always rewarding when they emerge.

Eden was inspired by my childhood explorations and the value of human connection during life's grand adventure. The world can feel lonely and terrifying when you're by yourself, but things don't feel so bad when you've got a friend to share it with.