The Challenge

It was a sunny spring afternoon. Norman sat on a park bench eating his daily lunch of ham and cheese on white bread from a brown paper sack. This afternoon was a steep departure from Norman’s standard lunch routine. You see, Norman was just fired from his job. Norman is an unremarkable man with an unremarkable life. As he ate, Norman contemplated his future with the same short-sightedness he contemplated every decision he’d ever faced. He considered another mundane job just like the last two he had been fired from. Norman had always done what was required of him. Unfortunately, only the minimum had had ever been required and so the minimum is what he gave.

The sun, high in the sky, beat down on Norman’s pale, bald head as he swallowed the last bite of his sandwich. He gathered himself and walked through the park toward the bus stop. A sharp glint of the sun’s reflection caught his eye. Near an empty bench was a simple canvas bag. A brass tag attached to the drawstring reflected its polish. Norman walked to the bag and noticed the engraving on the tag that read, The Challenge. Norman slung the bag over his shoulder with the vague idea he might locate the owner. His mind was nearly blank, as it usually was. Once at home he laid the canvas bag at the door and sat to watch television as he did every day after work.

Never overcome with curiosity, Norman forgot about the bag as he continued with his evening routine. The sun was setting as Norman washed up his dinner dishes. Headed back to his chair for his evening programs, the setting sun caught the brass tag once more through the window. Norman decided he would open the bag and see if there was anything identifying its owner among the contents. As he pulled at the canvas, Norman noticed money in the bag. Cash. And a lot of it. There was nothing in Norman’s life that had ever been exciting or overwhelming, but the sight of this cash took his breath away. Norman paused. The excitement…or fear caused an adrenaline rush that was an exceptionally rare experience. He grabbed the bag by the bottom seam and dumped the contents onto the coffee table. The money was neatly wrapped in stacks with the bright yellow money bands reading $1,000. He counted the stacks. …eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Twenty thousand dollars. Norman could hardly catch his breath. There was also a little black book. Upon closer inspection the book was actually dark brown, like coffee. He leafed through the book. It was empty with the exception of a note on the inside cover.

The Challenge

Congratulations! You are offered this challenge as an opportunity to break free from life as you currently know it. Many tend to let life happen rather than generating creative experiences that allow one to feel life. You have been challenged to use this money to travel and create experiences, meet new people, try new foods, see the beautiful sights that exist beyond your current life. There are only two conditions:

1. You must travel alone.

2. Use this Voyageur notebook to plan your trip and journal your adventures.

If you choose not to accept this challenge, return the bag to the location you found it for someone willing to experience life.

Norman’s instinctual response was, “I can’t do that!”. Norman placed the notebook and the neat stacks of cash back in the bag and went to bed.

Norman woke at 2am in a fright. His heart was pounding from the terror of the dream that shook him from sleep. Norman’s life has always been the same, no adventure, no detours, no creativity and never can he remember having dreamt so vividly. Norman’s dream that night was much like a visit from Jacob Marley. Norman saw his life as it was, is and will be. At 2am, drenched with sweat, Norman accepted the challenge.

As the morning sun broke the horizon, Norman was staring at a map of the world on his computer screen. Without explanation, he was drawn to South America. Norman didn’t know much of the continent really. As Norman researched, he learned of world heritage sites. He had heard of a few of these places at some point in his life. His initial travel itinerary began with a simple list:

1. Galapagos Islands

2. Machu Picchu

3. Easter Island

Norman’s world was expanding with this simple bit of research. He found travel articles with fascinating information. Did you know you can forego a hotel for a live-aboard boat when traveling to the Galapagos Islands? This option was quite expensive but Norman had $20,000 and a challenge to live up to. The travel articles also provided information on what to pack and sights to see. Norman began planning in earnest in the pages of the Voyageur notebook found with the money.

Norman immersed himself in research for days. The more he learned about the places he now intended to visit, the more his world seemed to expand. He read day and night about the Inca trail leading to Machu Picchu, the history of the moai statues of Easter Island and the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Norman worked with a travel agent, creating an itinerary. He had decided to book a premium stateroom on the M/Y Grace, a 147-foot yacht, for an 8-day tour of the Galapagos Islands. The M/Y Grace was a wedding gift to Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier from Aristotle Onassis in 1956. While this would consume a significant portion of his budget, it was such an intriguing option that he could not pass by. He also chose a guided 4-day hike of the Inca trail terminating at Machu Picchu. While hiking was an activity far removed from Norman’s present life, his research left him needing the adventure. A guided horseback tour of Easter Island was another steep departure for Norman that had now become a necessity. With all the reservations complete for flights, ground transportation and accommodations, the agent helped Norman apply for his passport. His travels required no visas but she helped arrange for the necessary vaccinations that he had never considered.

Norman was packed and eagerly awaiting the first flight to begin his Challenge. He sat reflecting on the day that opened his eyes and his heart to life. Norman was thankful for the opportunity to live before it was too late. He adopted a new motto (not that he’d had a previous motto), Take advantage of second chances.

Four weeks in South America had been a game-changer for Norman. He embraced the culture, people and food every step of the way. He had found it much easier to socialize with strangers now. He had pushed himself physically and was stronger for it. Norman relived his trip through the journal pages of the little notebook in the days after returning home. The fantasies created while researching his trip could not compare to the adventure and awe that became a real-life experience. He wanted so badly to thank the person that was responsible for the change in his life. He decided to best way to honor his unknown benefactor was to live the original challenge to feel life. He ordered another Moleskine Voyageur notebook and began planning his next adventure.

Norman was becoming a quite remarkable man with a remarkable life.