Seeing The World

not all those who wander are lost.  ~ tolkien

I recently purchased four luggage tags for us with this affirmation. I like to think our love of travel has nothing to do with being lost or seeking what we feel we have lost or being in search of what has been taken from us. It is so much more.

Instead, each time we pack our green Jeep so its plastic windows bulge, stroll (yes,I  still stroll because I still consider it to be a romantic escapade, much like those Pan Am days ) through Hartsfield/Jackson airport to fly far, far away, or aggressively twist the gas handle as I anxiously straddle a scooter, it's about discovery. Finding out who we are in relation to this world. Seeking an adventure that will tell us as much about who we are and where we come from as it delivers to us a new appreciation for the unfamiliar niche we now inhabit.

We are not lost, but if we do find ourselves without a map or sun to guide our way, we'll take a risk, strap on opal [our first camera] and never look back. I wander because I don't want to do anything else. I wander because my inquisitiveness takes over and erases the fear of the unknown. I wander because I can't wait to share this moment in time with this man at my side. Isn't that part of the glory of travel? To be able to tell someone about the scrumptious meal you just savored, or the incredible dive site you just explored, or the hidden walkway that took you along an unknown thoroughfare. These adventures are not meant to reside silently within, but they should be put to use as an inspiration and illumination for the next traveler.

Whether you travel solo, with a friend or partner or in a massive group, remember these rules:

1. You can't get lost. You're exactly where you're supposed to be.
2. Tell someone now or later, but always proclaim your journey.
3. Wherever you go, soak up the culture - discover and identify.
4. Travel is about self-discovery, too. You will be enlightened and changed.

We discover that people are the same everywhere we travel, but we discover we are not. ~Richards

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WRITER'S UPDATE: December 25, 2017.
Len and I have been traveling non-stop since 2014, and we have come to discover that the initial statement is not quite true. Quite frankly and honestly, we do not travel because we are lost but we do travel because we are seeking a part of ourselves that has slipped away. We just tripped upon this realization after our Ireland 2017 trip. We figured out why we love the places we love so intensely that as soon as we are back home, we begin counting the days until we return. There is a reason. We look forward to bringing it to you in 2018.

WRITER'S UPDATE: April 17, 2019
Len and I continue to travel. We are not lost; we actually have found ourselves and the meaning of life. Measuring life goes beyond what you can hold in your hand or even the family you are born into, but the experiences and moments that allow you to see everything and everyone clearly. It becomes rather eye-opening and a little scary. We are better people now that when we started this journey in 2012. Thank you for coming along. There's more to come.