Our Age of Discovery

During a recent visit to Sagres, Portugal, I was introduced to an important historical character named Prince Henry the Navigator.   Back in the early 15th century, Henry was the man who envisioned a more expansive world for Portugal.  He created ocean routes beyond where other European countries had yet explored, discovering the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores as well as the coast of West Africa.  This in turn opened the door for explorers such as Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese sailor who established a sea route to India via the Indian Ocean.  The ruins of Prince Henry’s Navigation school remain at the tip of the Sagres Point, a reminder of the time in history where European countries such as Portugal began to aggressively colonize exotic parts of the world beyond their wildest imaginations.

Can you imagine what it would be like to go somewhere that you never knew existed? The sailors who worked for Prince Henry were afraid.  Many believed the world was flat.  Perhaps they assumed if they went too far, they would simply fall off.  Perhaps he promised them financial rewards to encourage them or used patriotism to guilt them into taking the life-threatening journey. Regardless, they had to know there was a good chance they might not return home.  They were fearful, but the fear did not stop them from going. And the world changed because of their voyages.

 I’ve reflected on discovery, and what that means to us, as we go through life.  How do we allow for discovery, or exploration, in our own lives that will help us to see beyond our routines, our limitations, and facilitate growth?  It’s so easy to get stuck; the same morning rituals, the same meals every week, the same walks, the same exercise routines, the same vacation places, the same groups of friends, the same restaurants, the same tv programs, the same music.   This sameness, or ritual, provides comfort and security.   But it doesn’t help us to grow.

My feeling is when we stop growing, we stop living.  Or living becomes mundane.   Discovery doesn’t have to be earth shattering.  It can be something simple, such as taking a different drive home, or walking a different route.   It can be inviting a new neighbor over for a cup of tea.  It can be listening to an all-new artists music station, or it can be watching a program which is ideologically different than your own beliefs to just discover how the other side feels.  It can be picking a brand new recipe every week to prepare for dinner.  If you’re a sports fanatic, how about instead visiting an art museum?  If you’re a culture buff, how about going to a free Cape Cod League baseball game or finding a beautiful nature hike and bringing a picnic lunch?  If you’re an introvert and don’t know your neighbors, how about collecting emails and preparing a neighborhood directory?  And then proposing a pot-luck block party some Sunday afternoon?

There’s a lot we can do to step out of our comfort zones and discover more about ourselves, other people, our communities, the world.  The only thing preventing our growth is ourselves.  My guess is that these little changes and discoveries you make will enrich your life and place you on a path of deeper self-knowledge.  We do not have to stall or wither as we age….we just need to fertilize our minds and bodies, and then watch the new growth