“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” ~ Mark Twain
I just returned from a city that is located three hours away. The distance can be easily covered in a car and time passes quite quickly. I had this experience where I took a break from my ‘busy routine’ and I ended up with a relaxed environment. So what did I learn from this experience?
At my city, I had a first-person narrative point of view on life. Where I couldn’t see the big picture. Not to say that I was pessimistic, but it felt as if I was reacting to life. I knew that I demanded more from life, but I didn’t see the chain of events as leading to anywhere fruitful.
At the city three hours away, I took on a third-person narrative, where for the most part, I observed the lives of my friends or just random people that I came across. I saw people in situations that seemed worse, at least to me. I met people that were reaching out for help. As I think back to the eyes that I came in contact it, whether it be a place of joy, anger, empathy, frustration, or passion. I saw their reactions and how maybe I should review my beliefs.
Yes, it is true that we easily get caught up in routines, and instead of being present or having a thoughtful experience with our actions, almost everything feels automatic. From the hello’s, the how are you doing, or the random conversations we avoid with our colleagues. It could also stem from the road rage or the daily traffic that is experienced.
So what is my point? To travel. To take a pause and experience life elsewhere. To take a moment and be present, to experience life fully, to adjust our focus from our worries to gratitude. Take a moment to tune out, from the negative media outlets, from the fears of politics, from the unsettling stories that only talk about destruction.
No, I do not wish for you to escape, to run away from your reality. I do not wish for you to have this unease and run away from confrontation or responsibilities. I hope for you to rediscover, to see your life from a different perspective. That each event is constructed to create a light, to achieve a promise. To remember that we don’t have all the answers, no one does, but our faith will lead us. To our next steps, to the next people, to the next opportunities. Yes, life can be tough, but the worst thing is to get so caught up, that you forget the light at the end of the tunnel.
©Kihek
Kimberly Ihekwoaba 