How do you perceive the world?
Is it scary? Is it filled with criminals, evil doers around every corner, just waiting to ‘get’ you? Do you see nothing but war, inequalities, crime and oppression? I’m not denying it exists, but is this ALL you see when you see the world?
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~Mark Twain
I have discovered there is more well being in the world then there is percieved negatives. The sun comes up perfectly every morning, the birds sing, the air fills my lungs. There is more perfection in every moment, and it’s become my honor simply to notice it. And I can clearly say, both Miro and I have made enormous changes to our perception, as to having the ability to focus on what’s right in the world. Traveling and unschooling gave us that permission, and we’ve gained new empowerment though our commitment to focus on what’s right in the world. And through that focus, we know the world is a safe place to be and our experiences in the world are positive and life affirming.
And travel changes you.
Travel changed us this way:
Before we set out, our perception of traveling was very different.
Before we set out, we were in a ‘defining’ mind-set and it seemed very important for us to have a plan.
Before we set out, it seemed scary and unknown.
Before we set out, we defined our travels ‘doing’, instead of ‘being’.
But being on the road, our perception of life actually shifted and we have learned to live in the moment without the need for plans, that life and traveling were not scary at all, and it was ok to live at a slower pace guided by inspiration and doing the thing that bring us joy.
I wonder who Miro would have become had we remained in the states with our old lifestyle? I wonder who I would be now had this trip not become our reality? I wonder what life would have looked like for us and if we would have the ability to see the silver-lining that makes our lives so rich?
I wonder.
And for this, we are grateful that travel has changed us.
6 Comments
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Like so many that spend any time traveling, we also learned the ease and security in going with the flow, making little or no commitment to a specific outcome, etc. It turned out to be a much easier transition than the one we had to make when we decided to start homesteading. It took us almost three years to become comfortable in making plans, looking to future growth etc. It felt dangerous and stupid to make movements now that were focused on a future outcome and we had a very hard time realizing our goals because of it.
We have had to find that line between being able to go with the flow, trust in what will and will not come to us, and live a goal oriented and heavily routinized life. It’s been a tricky and sometimes painful lesson where we have landed on both sides of that fence, either being leveled by some unforeseen force impacting with out plans or living in a place of too much passivity waiting to see what was going to happen but not really applying our will anywhere.
I sincerely and regularly miss the peace that seemed to come with unattached traveling, and look forward to reading more of your site.
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Author
Thank you so much for the comment. Yes, it’s one of the biggest gifts travel allows and it’s difficult to describe until you’re experience it. We tend to float on the go with the flow side of things, but for us, it’s been about finding what works best for us and trusting that we are safe. And we always are.
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I’ve been pondering how perceptions of the ‘scary world out there’ are shaped this week as here in the UK heart wrenching stories of child abductions or worse have dominated the media. My personal experience at home and when travelling is of a world filled with good well intentioned people (well, mostly), yet that is not the whole truth nor the reality for some. Travel is a powerful experience that can tranform personal perceptions and perspectives. And the media is a powerful force in communicating and shaping perceptions of other realities. I’m not sure what I’m trying to say here other than amidst the wider media subtext of fear and danger, it’s good to read your personal story that validates another experience of the world.
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So true Stuart. I think fear is used as a tactic to keep people with their heads down and distrusting one another from a political perspective. Through traveling, we see humanity as a whole, people as our brothers and sisters and when we choose to see only the good, that’s what we get more of.
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