Arthur Rackham’s illustration of Grahame’s two rats.
Some of you no doubt will recognize the following passage from The Wind in the Willows, a famous children's book by British writer Kenneth Grahame that spins a tale of several anthropomorphised animals living in the English countryside. In one chapter there is a discussion between a river rat homebody and an adventuring seafaring rat.
In a plea from the seafaring rat (who wants to hop aboard a ship headed south) to the river rat (who wants to remain behind), the case is made for a great adventure. (We have redacted and substituted some text, e.g., substituting “a larger world’”for ‘“the South'‘ to make a point.)
”And you, you will come too, young brother; for the days pass, and never return, and [a larger world] still waits for you. Take the Adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes! ‘Tis but a banging of the door behind you, a blithesome step forward, and you are out of the old life and into the new! Then some day, some day long hence, jog home here if you will, when the cup has been drained and the play has been played, and sit down by your quiet river with a store of goodly memories for company. You can easily overtake me on the road, for you are young, and I am aging and go softly. I will linger, and look back; and at last I will surely see you coming, eager and light-hearted, with [so many amazing experiences] in your face!
We offer a terrific adventure opportunity for young adults. You should seize it.