Put yourself in the way of adventure. – John Stiljoe

One class at Harvard that shaped me in important ways was VES 107 – Studies of the Built North American Environment since 1580, taught by Professor John R. Stilgoe, who became a lifelong friend.

Stilgoe taught us to get outside, take long walks, and explore.

“Go and look at it,” he told us. And many of us did.

You don’t need to climb Everest or row across the Atlantic to put yourself in the way of adventure.

You can try a new restaurant.

Walk a different route to the subway station.

Wander around to the back of the big box store to see the loading bays.

Visit a wholesale fish market.

Take a ferry ride across the Bosphorus.

​Discover many of the lessons from Stilgoe’s course in his book Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places.

​You can buy this or any of my shirt designs, or even better, create your own, on Zazzle.