People talk about traveling all the time. I do that too. I keep fantasizing about towns and cities, islands and countries, regions and continents. Don’t we all carry that inherent desire to witness a major fraction of the beauty that the world can offer? However, how many of us actually take that step and embark on some breathtaking journeys? I agree we have tons of responsibilities, immense job pressure, and lack of money and perhaps even that of companionship. However, are these reasons huge enough to stop you from doing what you ought to do?
When I had just left university, I didn’t even know if this is what I wanted to do. I worked for about two years as a Software Engineer and I realized that I was missing out on the most essential aspect of my life: the opportunities to set myself free, to go out, wander aimlessly, roam around and discover places, explore little spectacles that the world could offer. After about half a year of this awareness, I quit my job and somehow decided to do whatever bit of traveling I could. My family is one conservative institution and I’ve always struggled with making them concur to the dreams I have seen for myself. Nevertheless, the struggles have constantly been worth it.
I moved out, traveled for a bit, met strangers, made friends, ate fascinating cuisines, laughed, cried, felt love, witnessed magnificence and embraced an odd sense of entirety. Exactly one year from now, I returned from my first solo trip to another country. I had just discovered a novel aspect of my existence. When I entered this ‘real’ world after about a month of incessant traveling, I couldn’t fit in. It was immensely difficult to accept that a regular life, those extensive hours at work, the heaviness of conservatism and the soreness of being judged had the potential to make life monotonous and unexciting. Following this, I have by some means tried to find out ways to walk off the droning survival every once in a while and roam about, even if that has meant going to the same places repeatedly or finding out newer possibilities to fulfill my travel goals.
There are people who believe I am this strong woman who has the guts to stand up for her aspirations, her beliefs. And then, there are people who criticize me for being too reckless, self-centered and dense for having taken steps that might not have been conventional and accepted. So, when I ask you to take charge of your life and to experience the magnificence of this universe, I am not asking you to do everything that I have done.
No, we all shouldn’t quit our stable jobs to take a plunge into our dreams. But, we all should never forget that we have just one life to make these dreams come true and if you look at it closely, there is always a way towards light in the darkness.
No, we shouldn’t fabricate stories and set up plans to be able to take a tour to unknown places. But, we shouldn’t also restrict ourselves and make up tales to falsely believe that we aren’t too fortunate to see the world. No, we shouldn’t wander out there alone; spend days and weeks on our own, traveling and eating, finding directions or getting lost. But, we shouldn’t also forever wait for a travel escort who would hold our hand or cart us to destinations that have been calling us for years.
No, we shouldn’t only romanticize about locations and journeys and assure ourselves that someday, we’d do something about this. We should do something now, because now is the time.
Sometimes, we compel ourselves into believing that our lives are not our own. But, you know that’s not true. You are the one who has the power to take your own decisions, to fight all odds, to save up some money, to travel to the nearest serene beach or the farthest Mount of the Alps, to find your strength in unknown places and to have faith in the goodness of this world.
So, now you know why I travel?
Because I believe I can always find a way.
