It is amazing how others perceive you when you express a desire to travel the world. The immediate thought is you must be crazy. If not that, then you’re lost and trying to find yourself. It can’t simply be because you want to see the world up close and personal. What’s more interesting is the perception of friends and family. My experience has been strangers are more understanding and encouraging of the notion. Could it be those who don’t know me relate better than those that do? These things truly make me go hmm.
Sounding like a broken record each time I tell someone, not all who wander are lost. Never thought this would become an argument in need of defense. The simple fact is, I’m not running, not lost, and don’t need to find myself. I’ve been in touch with all facets of myself for a long time now and concluded most people are simply trying to figure me out.
Living outside of my comfort zone is my preference. It’s incredible how much you grow in spirit and self when you immerse yourself in other cultures, learn new languages, get over prejudices, biases, and just live in the moment and love.
blessed with health and the means to travel
I don’t care to be restricted by geography. The wonders of the world, other cultures, and different terrains excite me. I’m intrigued by other languages and wish I could interpret them all. Being in foreign lands and not being a native speaker has helped with my own patience back home when coming across others who can’t speak English. Americans tend to have an attitude that everyone in our country needs to speak English. Yet, we often fail to meet those same standards in parts of the world where English isn’t the primary language. The reality, it’s not so serious. Better to lend a helping hand than to turn away in annoyance and miss a learning opportunity or connection. Having been to other countries and spending time with people, not everyone is afforded the luxury of learning other languages. Traveling helps me appreciate the little things and reset perspectives when dealing with diverse groups of people.
this is not a race to the finish line
I’m not running, not lost, but free. I’m walking slowly through life and living in the moment. The wisdom gained during exploration has helped me grow, learn, and enjoy the things that only life can teach you. There’s so much more to see and do and with each site, I become better, bigger, stronger, and most of all, thankful.
Now, stop procrastinating and book that trip! Tomorrow isn’t promised.
