Posted by At the risk of sounding cliche, these have been stressful times. We have been prevented from doing the things we love, and many of us will emerge with new or renewed hobbies and passions that have formed out of boredom and desperation. That could be a wonderful thing. I wish I loved Chess, Yoga, Macrame, and Netflix, that might have saved my soul. But I don’t! I love to explore, travel, take day trips, go to places! And while this is all off-limits, those of us who have been on the move for decades are reeling from deprivation. This might seem trivial and truly there are more significant things at hand, but travel is my lifeline. The idea alone that I can escape to regenerate is a survival mechanism! Does this sound like you? Do you feel both cursed and blessed by a gene you never asked for? Does your pre-pandemic life look something like this, and will this be your new normal?
You have the relentless desire to explore, which propels you from one vacation to the next, but your corporate vacation balance is a reminder that you quite literally are on borrowed time. You spend lunch-times plotting ways to make it happen while keeping the boss off your back. Co-workers whisper about yet another trip. The inevitable meeting is scheduled and the noose around your neck is tightened.
The need to plan your next escape, before you have even unpacked from the last one, is irresistible. Friends despair and your spouse calls you irresponsible. “This is not normal behavior!” he exclaims.
You love being at home, but you hate it too.
Your parents talk about your responsibilities. “it’s not all fun and games you know!” You wince at their disapproval. You know they are right, you hear them all, but don’t care.
You cannot restrain this beast, it’s not yours to control. It’s an enigma, a curse, a blessing, a release. If ancient Greece had created a God for this, you would be the God of Explorius! But don’t feel bad, it’s not your fault, it’s in your genes.
As your soul screams “Why are you mad with me? It’s what I want! It’s what I love! It’s who I am! you inwardly ask: What’s wrong with me?
Again, you have cracked the code. There is nothing wrong with you. It’s in your DNA.
Cast your mind back to high school history. A few million years ago, we were nomads. We never stayed in the same caves for long, because we would have starved. We went where we needed in order to survive. Therein lies the key, except now it’s a different kind of survival.
We are wanderers by nature. We are not designed to sit in cubicles. We naturally crave discovery and fight restraints because we were not designed for this lifestyle. Neither was this cat. She wants to go outside and do what cats do! She is no princess!
Today, perpetual travelers are still the odd ones out. We wonder why we are like this but can’t resist it. We can be addictive personalities, all or nothing extremes, high-anxiety claustrophobic types who can’t stand being caged up. We want what we want and are miserable without it. To lock us up is cruel but that’s what society demands. And society is recklessly judgemental.
We are like gypsies! So were my ancestors. It’s in me and evidently passed down through the women in my family. We cannot stay put and that’s ok. We are who we are. Don’t accept criticisms or judgments from friends and family. It’s inherent. You seek more and that’s ok.
Pursue your passion. Do so without guilt, in the knowledge that it makes you a happier person. Send your parents frequent postcards, take your spouse with you, talk to your boss. Find a way to do it. Life is a compromise as long as it’s not your soul that pays the price. Be free to be glorious YOU. This is not selfish!
And finally……If I’d known then what I know now..oh, the benefit of hindsight.
Don’t get me wrong, I love living in America, but no one here ever brags about their generous time-off allowance. Bartering for time off in Corporate America is not going to get you your travel fix. America is the only civilized country that is not legally obligated to provide you with paid-time-off, and boy is that abused! Mix that in with an unhealthy dose of “live to work”, not “work to live”, and the challenges are big. Be self-employed, be a teacher with long vacations, be anything that allows you a work-life mix. Be creative and seek out jobs that offer freedom or flexibility. Work four- day weeks or part-time if you can afford to. If you are just starting out, choose a profession that will enable you to follow your passion, because this feeling does not go away.
As I have become exposed to other travel bloggers, I have been astounded by the infinite amount of people who make huge moves. It’s fantastic to see young people move to different countries for a year to experience other cultures. Some will never settle down. My own daughter is one of those. She has seen more of this world than I ever will and shows no signs of changing. The world is her oyster. On the other side of the scale, many retirees are branching out and making big moves as they see the merits of living abroad or out of an RV. It’s never too late to scratch the travel itch. What I wish for all of you with the travel gene is to be free as a bird and soar high my friends.
