The Wander Lust

Tattoos are an interesting thing. For some they are art, or reminders of One's ethos or in some cases both and so much more. Paolo, the cheeky Italian from Turin, gave me so much to think about. What is my guiding light in life?  What spins my compass round pointing me in the right direction?

 

For many extended travelers, the time away from home serves as a way to declutter the mind and reflect. If you remove yourself from all that you know, what do you decide to do with your time and what do you find yourself longing to do with your time.

 

After only a week into the trip, I found myself pouring over the personal stories of all of the travelers I had met. So many explained in a different way the craving or rather lust to wander. The Wander Lust, as I will call it, is the longing that overcomes travelers/explorers and fuels their adventures

 

What's funny, is that we all at one point in our life have had this. It is present, the second we are born. If you ever watch a child in a new setting, you know what I'm talking about. Children have a naïve understanding of the dangers of the unknown, they bravely wander and seek out experiences to understand the world around them only to be scolded by an adult. It is unfortunate that out of necessity, we have to slowly condition children to keep the wander impulse at bay and be aware of "stranger danger."

 

Those that travel and explore recognized at some point that they do not know the world they live in. It is this realization that allows them to embrace the fearless child in them. They commit to a journey that through new sights, people and sensations will expand their knowledge of the world and of themselves.

 

The first true travel experience in an unfamiliar zone can forever trigger a wander lust. What happens is that you naturally feel a sense of fear at the beginning of the journey. You have been taught dangers and risks associated with the unknown. As you encounter more and more of the unknown and unfamiliar, you find that you have all of the tools to come out safe. You accept the burden of the risk, for the reward of new knowledge and new sensations

 

With that said, this is not to say that it always works out in the way you want. Sometimes experiences are lack luster or even negative but you learn from it, you laugh about it and you move one knowing that it has bettered you as a person and individual.

 

The personal development is like heroine to the traveler. They become addicted to the power of travel. In times of unrest, they use it to find solace and to see clearly. So many of the people I've met are like me and are willing victim to Wander Lust.

 

We have abandoned our familiar surroundings, pulled our heads out of our tunnels and into the wide open sky. Reflecting back on the last 3 years, I can see moments where I and others had narrowed our vision of the situations around us. We had let minute moments be seen as catastrophic. I complained, I kicked and I yelled at the world but nothing changed.

 

This trip is quickly evolving into a developmental one. I know that through new stories and experiences that I will encounter, I will come back to you all with a clearer purpose and understanding of myself. In the meantime, I challenge you to embrace your Wander Lust. Go plop yourself in a new part of your town or countryside and embrace being lost. Take risks, or at least calculated ones and challenge yourself to commit to a better understanding of you and the world.

 

I'm sure many of you feels lost. In my opinion, sometimes making yourself physically lost is the only cure. You are all amazing individuals with dreams and aspirations that inspire me. Explore with strength and conviction, you have the tool kit to see clearly but fear the risk. Embrace your inner child and wander fearlessly.

 

"You have to know who you are in life so you never become lost or content with abandoning your dreams."

~Paolo the Italian from Turin