Introduction
This blog is long overdue and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Chances are that if you’re reading this you know who I am, where I’m at, and what I’m doing. Somewhere down the line I hope it becomes clear as to why.
From the outside looking in, I imagine some people saying “he’s running from something”. The assertion is somewhat hackneyed, if you ask me, but has always been empty. I mean, of course, in some respect, we are all running from something, don’t you think? Some run from commitment, most from responsibility, even more from fear, and pain, and even death. If nothing else I run from monotony.
But this falls far short of answering why I choose to live out of a backpack. I won’t attempt a comprehensive list, but, for starters, there is an aspect of environmentalism in this lifestyle of increasingly minimizing consumption. Also, I understand the ironic relationship to be had with “material possessions”. It’s practically axiomatic. …I’ll stop now and spare you a diatribe on “freedom”.
In a different vein, and I hope I’m not alone in saying this, the art of traveling is an inchoate expression of compassion. Perhaps it is necessary to elaborate. You see, unless one travels, one can never gain anything close to knowledge of an “other”. And knowledge of the other is crucial to understanding, relating, sympathizing, and caring, at its best. At its worst, it leads to (mis)understanding, relating, or not, and hatred. To put it another way, seeing is believing, all else is propaganda.
Where does it lead? To be completely honest, I don’t know. Sometimes I see a complete renunciation in my future. Other times I think I could end up in some NGO or working in some sort of diplomatic capacity. And then there’s the uncontrollable forces, sometimes mistaken as destiny, that could tame my mind and/or let fear seep in until suddenly I wake up and my life revolves around the unspeakable.
Where will I go next? A colleague of mine once said something to the effect that when he lacks inspiration he goes to the Philippines. My first reaction was to reply that this was India for me. But on second thought, I now know that this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, no other country inspires me more. As I planned for my upcoming trip I considered many countries, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Myanmar, Indonesia, and others. But I kept coming back to India. Why? Because all it takes is a photo, a video, a song, a smell, a sound, a taste, a dream, and I’m wiping tears from my eyes. I love and loathe it so much.
Tags: India, Uncategorized, why travel
Shin
Glad to see your doing well, friend. I envy your freedom!
I always enjoy reading any correspondence from you. It reminds me of the deep chats you and I would have whenever we would get together. Keep them coming.
Hopefully you will make it back stateside soon so we can catch up. Be safe and Godspeed.
Your compassion for freedom… I got to tell ya man, it has been too long since we have talked. I am happy for you, take care man. I was recently going through some pictures and came across one of you passed out on my chair at our (Karen and I) apartment with your water bottle close at hand, lol good times. As Nietzsche said “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” Be safe.
KANE!!!!!!!!!!!