Have you ever met a nomad?
Have you ever met a nomad? A kind, bright, authentic, true and tried nomad who travels the world and lives life on faith alone, come what may. I’ve met a couple nomads and their illuminating energy and rainbow aura fills your soul with warmth, chocolate sprinkles line their path and no bird ever poops on their car because they may or may not have one.
I’m always intrigued with the academic dilemma of correlation versus causation. The age old question about what came first, the chicken or the egg is a great example of this. Applying this dilemma to the nomad, I wonder does the nomad become a person with illumination from travel or does a person with a warm soul radiate towards a nomadic lifestyle? My research to answer this question comes from my marriage.
Our adventures throughout our travels plaster our social media account and take up much of our free time. While we don’t apply to the nomadic lifestyle I described, Ash has a sense of wanderlust which rivals a nomad. He has a similar sense of warmth, his laughter puts everyone at ease and his energy and aura rejuvenate. He has an affinity to travel and works to provide a good life for our family but if he had the chance I’m sure he would qualify. Living the travel life with him has developed my hypothesis that increased travel has direct correlation to the warm aura and wanderlust charm.
We began our marriage traveling to Greece, a country I dreamed of traveling to since sixth grade. White buildings with bright blue shutters that line the island Coast was my definition of a place I’d like to be. Ash planned and surprised me with a honeymoon to Santorini, Greece and I thought this epic trip would you define my traveling experiences for the rest of my life but like so many times before by smug amateur self was wrong.
Since August 24, 2014 I have traveled to countless locations. Don’t ask me my favorite, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I read a quote by Martin Buber on an Instagram account, “all journeys have destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” This is the closest description of how I see and define travel. I would have been the last person to travel to all these continents as motion sickness is a consistent defeat for me. I get air sick, car sick, horse sick, strange food sick, weird water taste sick and my arch nemesis sea sickness. I used to throw fits when traveling until I learned traveling for Ash is inevitable. Traveling is a part of his soul and to refuse him this right would make me Donald Travel Trump. So I kept the nagging to a mild to medium level and traveled with him to allow the magic of travel and the world we live in to fill my soul.
This one decision was done with selfless intent but has rewarded me greater than any decision I have ever made. I’ve discovered energy, flavor, and culture I would never seek independently. I have a natural affinity to defined structure, straightforward answers and limited variability. These traits are contradictory to adventures of travel but is precisely why they have transformed me to the core.
Similar to a pilgrimage, I’ve learned to prioritize myself by putting aside responsibilities at home that can wait for my return. Realizing there’s a great big world out there with endless possibilities reduces my anxiety driven impulses and allows me to realize there are endless options. I’m unable to create a self serving schedule being at mercy to travel plans. Also, the concept of essentials are redefined when you’ve forgotten your headphones or makeup bag. Learning about other people, cultures and experiencing different adventures becomes priority over buying the next best thing, crying about not being invited to a party or laughing at rude statements we all find funny. I was taught these lessons the hard way and I wouldn’t have learned it any other way.
I don’t believe the distance from home has any correlation to the epiphanies noted above. You can travel to the next town, go to a museum to learn more about art and history, try a new ethnic food. These new experiences will take you places you know nothing about, not to mention a better person. The universe is bff’s with karma and is a master teacher of all things. So get out there, earn some points, learn some lessons, plan some trips and live the life you never imagined because it’s better than the one you have imagined.
