When was the last time you were able to establish some ‘space’ between what you do and the rest of your life? To what extent has what you do – your job, your daily commute, your weekly shopping – come to define who you are? One of our stories this week tells of a journey. It got me thinking about what it means to travel. Most obviously travelling is the process of getting from one place to the next. But what else is it? Travel is essentially any exploration of unknown places. Visiting places unknown, however near or far from home they may be allows for new experiences and new lessons. To eat new foods, experience new cultures and climates and meet new people, is to put space between you and your normal life. Taking away what is familiar, removing the things that define who you are – your job, your family, your routine – and thus challenging your identity. It gives us space to grow and change in ways that are not always possible when you are at home. We are taken out of our comfort zones, away from what is familiar, and while as such travel may be daunting, the removal of ‘crutches’ lets us learn about who we are. And because it tests you at every turn, travel demands that you act deliberately, and offers in return the possibility of making everyday choices meaningful. You need not travel far, you need not leave your country, and you need not go for long but movement and change will give new and exciting dimensions to everyday life. So let us step out of our daily lives and boldly discover what else is out there. And while I agree that often the best of part of going away is coming home, you will be coming home a different person. Ends
