“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

Several times, over the past few years, I have pondered a question; Why do I travel? Really…What keeps me going? Why do I do it? These questions were laid onto me, originally, by my close friends and family. At first, I was unable to answer their inquiries. I tried to think of something quick in response. After all, it should be an easy answer, correct? Everyone wants to travel! Here I was, doing it! Why should I even have to answer this question? Worse yet, how come I was fumbling around for the words to be able to answer this question?? On the surface, it seems an easy response would be because I like to travel, and have found a way to work mobile. But digging deeper, there is much more to that answer. After all, many people could do the same exact thing as me, but choose not to. For whatever reason, they may not have the desire and passion that I have for travel. For other people, they may have their reasons for loving travel, such as the sense of adventure, excitement of being somewhere new, and seeing beautiful views across the globe. But, usually, an excuse arises that limits them, and they choose to stay home. The thought of travel brings about many ways for people to either just think about, or actually act upon, the current stage of their life. For myself, the quote at the beginning of this post holds a good base for my thoughts and feelings on this question. All of my journeys have held some sort of secret that was revealed to me; some during the trip, while others may have been revealed weeks or even months later. At times, I was totally unaware of what new idea, concept, place, or relationship was going to forever hold a spot in my memory. I love the feeling of learning something new, or being surprised at what I’ll find or see, or meeting some of the coolest people I have ever met in some of the least expected places on the planet. Many of these things came totally unexpected, and affected me in different ways. Anticipation of finding what may next change my ideas on life, or my attitude on future projects or relationships, or my beliefs & value system, or my impressions on other people, continue to feed my desire to keep on traveling. I feel these personal secrets which have been revealed to me make me a better person. It is so easy today to get caught up with life and lose yourself to other things that hold little or no value to you. Our lives eventually become a scheduled regiment of boring events and little excitement. When you are out traveling, you get to experience constant excitement. These new people, new languages, exotic views, foreign foods, and beautiful locations, allow for a continuous stream of learning and mind-altering experiences. These things keep the juices of life flowing inside my veins. Initially, when I first started traveling, I was looking for something new. I wanted to find out if there was something outside of the life I was living, away from the office, away from my tight-knit community, and away from the routine I was used to. I wanted to find something new, and experience change. I did not know what that change was going to be. But eventually, I arrived back from my destination with more than just a change of scenery. Seeds of change to my person took root, and continue to re-create the person I am today. I am unaware of many secrets in this life. But I continue on, forever moving forward in my search. I can always count on travel to help me reach my destination, even if I don’t have one marked on the map.

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