David Holland, in his post yesterday at Blather. Wince. Repeat., discusses a column written by David Brooks in the New York Times, The Odyssey Years. Excellent post. Interesting topic.

Brooks’ premise is that there are four stages in life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Shifts in American culture have added two more stages: odyssey and active retirement. The odyssey years fall between adolescence and adulthood, and sometimes last for a decade. Odyssey is the journey to find yourself. It seems it is taking us longer and longer these days. 

The purest sense of the word means a “new adventure.” Homer’s epic poem, Odyssey, is about the travels, conquests, triumphs, and defeats of mythological figures, yet this poem/myth came from the heart and pen of an adventurer.

In the Israeli culture after high school and army service, the youth are encouraged to take a year to experience life and to travel.

The Amish culture has a kind of “odyssey” called rumspringa which means “running around.” This time calls for patience for the “foolishness of youth” by not shunning or severely punishing mistakes. The practice of rumspringa varies from family to family, and indeed, some youth do separate themselves from the community to experience modern technology, go to parties without parents, wear jeans, etc. Most Amish youth do not leave home during this adolescence period and choose not to leave the community after rumspringa.

I am sure other cultures nourish this notion in various forms as well.

I am thinking about my own “odyssey” years that took me to Israel to live on a kibbutz. There was a restlessness in me that was satisfied only by travel, cross-cultural experiences, new languages, and diverse adventures. Although it did not involve overt rebellion, some parts of the experience were stained with the foolishness of youth. And I agree with David’s summation that it is the influence of praying parents and the hand of a mighty God that helped me navigate through that period.

I see the same hankerings of “odyssey” in my 19-year old daughter as she stretches her wings in college and with cross-cultural experiences. And you better believe, I am on my knees praying that God will see her into adulthood.

Even with a tiny bit of knowledge and experience under my belt–a few bruises and knocks from the first few stages of life–I still feel a restlessness that leans toward “odyssey.” Maybe, I have a few gypsy synapses of my forefathers in my brain that drive me toward adventure. 

There is a contentment that is discontented that causes me to press on to a new adventure!

Is a continued sense of  positive “odyssey” so bad in the next few stages of life?

 I think odyssey is necessary to fulfill my calling to the nations. That restless, satisfied dissatisfaction keeps me seeking a new adventure, but most of all keeps me seeking “to apprehend what I was apprehended for.” There is a destiny here and in the here-after that compels and constrains me at once. It seems to me it will take a good dose of  compelling, constraining “odyssey” to fulfill my calling.

My odyssey years didn’t contain a red corvette; but somehow, the idea shimmers on the horizon of active retirement!  But wait! Now that I think about it–the red corvette has changed to a black Jaguar.  And a new adventure awaits!