Travel Theory

I leave the country again tomorrow. My one thought is about "home" as I take my next step as a world traveler. "Home" is something we think about as the place we grew up in, but as we refine ourselves in our march towards maturation we find that "home" is a term that means so much more. As I sit here and think about "home" I realize that it means my family: My dad who works tirelessly for my family, basking in the few moments he gets to spend with his daughter and sons; hoping that we take to heart any of the wisdom he is able to pass onto us. My mother, who excessively worries about her children in far away places, missing their humor as she bravely endeavors with her own mission to make the world a better place. I think of my brothers and sister who have their own lives, full of the own hopes and difficulties; a family detached by geography but attached by a synchronized heartbeat. I think of my friends struggling through the difficult jobs they've endured in hopes of a better life someday. I think of their faltered and fortified romances that I both abhor and cherish from afar. A friend says tepidly. "You have to have a great time, I'm living vicariously through you." I think of their hopes and dreams and I want desperately to make them come true; the sandy beaches, the clouded mountains, the statues of cultures long ago. I think of their children, young and beautiful faces still allowed the naivety of youth. I see her face, but I know my feet still have more miles.

Why does my mind focus this way?

Most people don't understand when I tell them this, but I'll try once more now: Traveling is the greatest thing in the world. It's absurd to NOT go anywhere when so many beautiful things exist on this planet; our mission as humans should be to observe and try to understand it all. However, as I travel there are three things I have learned: 1) "Wanderlust" (a term I use to speak of travel addiction) is a compounding process; the more you travel, the more you will desire/need to travel. 2) Many times we focus on what is to gain during travel, completely forgetting what is given up. We think, "I will be away from work," "I will see the world," but thoughts such as "I'll miss you" and "I love sleeping in real beds" get forgotten (perhaps this is just me). 3) Our hearts, as humans, are like a piece of paper. When we dedicate ourselves to travel we go around the globe in search of new people, places, and experiences; writing their names all across our hearts. What we don't realize is that when we leave those people and places we tear a piece of ourselves away. As travelers our hearts are a single piece of paper, spread across the globe like confetti.

As you can tell, I embark on this next journey, not with a heart of caution and regret, but a heart which understands that I'm leaving a piece of myself behind; a curious heart spread across the world in search of something not yet found. Tomorrow I head to Europe with a travelers heart, a heart in search of ANYTHING.

-JC