In my opinion - though the quote resonates with me, I think it might be a bit forceful. Traveling is not a brutality. True - it forces us to trust others quickly, to push our boundaries, but most choices and consequences are short term (at least with the way I have been traveling). Real life is hard. Real life forces us to make serious decisions with longer term consequences. It's not as simple as which bus to catch or what hostel to stay in - it's whether or not returning to school is worth years of debt or whether to return home and take on the responsibilities of an ailing parent. These are concrete decisions that can affect us for a very long time.
For those of you who think traveling on your own would be tough and scary, you'll get over your fear of unknown buses and strangers much quicker than the rest of us will get over our fear of commitment and lack of purpose.
By no means am I slamming my fellow traveling brothers and sisters, I'm sure many people would strongly disagree with these statements, it's simply my opinion. I don't travel to run away from something, but to run towards something. When I travel my mind is clear without the fog of everyday responsibilities. Traveling fuels my quest to find experiences that provide me with happiness and encourages me to continue seeking these simple pleasures when I return home. While traveling I am quickly reminded what makes me truley happy, good friends, good food and a warm place to sleep. I challenge my boundaries and fears while traveling so that I'm well practiced for a time when I'll need special skills, when those 'BIG' decisions enter into my life.
I do believe everyone should travel. It is easy to stay in your comfort zone at home and avoid anything that makes you slightly uncomfortable. Traveling allows us to develop strengths that aren't easily developed at home. It opens our minds and challenges our perspectives and stereotypes. On the other hand, I acknowledge how important it is to face the major, longterm challenges and decisions that arrive at our doorstep. The ones that we can't avoid by hopping onto the next bus or changing our length of stay in a certain place.
When I return home, the reminder of big decisions weigh on my heart. I don't live close to home and don't plan on returning longterm for a long time. But every time I go home, I am reminded by this little girl the weight of these decisions are harder to bare...and now I'm sure her little brother will make it even that much more tough.
Kissing her baby brother pre-arrival
Playing in the corn box
My little Livie
Exploring at Oma's farm
Jayme- You are right in that the act of traveling is generally a less involved version of real life. Ultimately it allows you the freedom to make more frequent decisions and consequently, mistakes. It's best to take the whimsical nature of traveling and extend this quality to the more important decisions of your life; realizing that just short of an extreme, any decision you are likely to make in the coming years will be equally navigable, albeit irreversible.
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