Not all those who wander are lost

I’ve never really been one for homesickness, but whatever its opposite might be- I suffer from it terribly.  As I was reading Cale’s post earlier tonight and came to the part about him having had an opportunity to travel to Europe in highschool, all I could think of was my own grade twelve travel group trip to Costa Rica.  It’s not a memory that crosses my mind often, but suddenly I wanted nothing more than to be sitting on a deck on a warm Costa Rican evening laughing with my classmates, not a worry (other than scorpions or black mould) on anyone’s mind.  That is, until I read the next sentence, about having had the opportunity to travel to Europe in university, and then I wanted nothing more than to be crammed into a hotel room in London at 9pm because the pubs are all closed already.

I am immensely jealous of every trip anyone I know has ever taken.  It wouldn’t matter if I’d been to the same exact square foot of space you were standing in a million times, as soon as I hear about it (or more likely see the Instagram of it), I become envious.  Envious that you are standing in a foreign land having fun, while I am in Saskatoon paying bills or washing dishes or some other horrendous task.  And I think that’s part of the reason travelling appeals to me so much.  It’s the escapism.  I don’t have to worry about my “real life” anymore.

But more than that, I love travelling because of how insignificant it makes me feel.  That may sound a bit strange at first, but hear me out:

I know how big the world is.  It’s BIG.  I understand that.  But I didn’t fully understand it until I started flying across oceans.  The world is so huge and there are so many people in it.  I’m so tiny compared to all of that, so humbled, so in awe.  And the fact that people still care about me, and you, still love us even though we’re so small and insignificant- that’s crazy.  It’s crazy that something so small can still be so important.  There are people EVERYWHERE who aren’t that different from us, living lives that aren’t that different from ours.  And they all matter.  When I think of any of the great people throughout history who have literally changed the world it amazes me.  It is absolutely unbelievable that one single person can do so much.

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The thought of not travelling anywhere ever again is outrageous to me.  It’s not that I’m the type of person who is already planning their next trip before the first one is even over, but I like knowing that it’s always a possibility.  I like knowing that if I really wanted to, I could just pack up and go.  Anywhere.  But as much as I wish I could be so spontaneous, I have these pesky things called “responsibilities”.  (But hey, a girl can dream!  Maybe someday…)

Jazmin

PS  Here's the link to a video I made to promote this post to my friends and family.  I may have put slightly more effort into the video than into this post (oops).