For a long time now, my favorite quote has been one from a beloved author of mine, J.R.R. Tolkien: “Not all those who wander are lost.” I was never really sure why I liked the quote so much – I just did. But recently, I’ve come to realize that it encompasses the exact point of one of my favorite things in life: travel. Tolkien’s words express how you can “wander,” or travel, and not necessarily know where you’re going or what you’re doing but never, ever actually be lost – because when you’re traveling you’re exploring and embarking on an adventure (and sometimes getting lost is just part of the fun).
I have been incredibly fortunate to have had a multitude of opportunities to travel and experience the world in a different and exciting way. I know how lucky I am to not only have had the opportunity to see so many incredible places but also to have had the chance to learn and grow through those experiences. Traveling is extraordinarily unique and has the ability to change your life and perspective in ways nothing else can. Travel allows you to see more, understand deeper, and dream bigger.
One of the many joys of travel is the feeling of freedom it instills in you. Suddenly, your world is a million times bigger than it was the day before. You feel limitless, as if there is nothing that can stop you from seizing the day and seeing everything you possibly can. Though traveling and seeing more of the world does make you feel smaller, that feeling of smallness only contributes to the uncontainable excitement of knowing that there is SO much out there to explore.
While it’s cool to read about and see pictures of other places and people, it is a different thing entirely to actually experience those cultures in person. Spending time around different people and cultures opens your eyes to other ways of life and makes you reflect not only on your own way of life but on how fortunate you are to have what you have and be able to be in places like that. Even within your own country you will find countless different ways of life – speaking from experience, the U.S. itself has provided me with some of the most incredible travel experiences of my life, from the canyons in Utah and Arizona to right where I go to school in upstate New York to, most recently, two of the islands of Hawaii (Maui and Kauai). The world is a beautiful, amazing place, filled with fascinating people and cultures, and spending time in those other places and cultures is an invaluable and irreplaceable experience.
One of the most unique things I’ve taken out of my travels has been the many things I’ve learned about myself along the way. Taking yourself out of the familiar and going somewhere new and possibly completely unknown, where you don’t recognize anything and might not even speak the same language as the people who live there, is one of the most incredible, rewarding things you can do for yourself. There is truly nothing as thrilling as discovering a new passion of yours or even simply a new type of food that you like. Traveling allows you to step out of your comfort zone and see things in a new way. For me, traveling has showed me how much I enjoy exploring new places. There are few things I love more than walking around a new place and learning the intricacies and feeling of the place. While it is nice to sit and relax, the most rewarding experiences of mine have been going out and getting a feel for wherever I am, whether it’s wandering around a big city without any particular destination in mind, riding a mule along the rim of a canyon, or waking up at 3:30 in the morning to see the sunrise from the top of a volcano.
I know it’s not always easy to travel. Things like school, work, and finances often make it difficult or even impossible. But if you ever see the opportunity to travel and experience a place other than the one you are most familiar with, do not pass it up. Even a simple road trip to somewhere a few hours away can change your life. The benefits of traveling know no bounds, and with each place you visit and every person you meet you will find yourself changing and becoming more open and simply happier. Traveling has the ability to change a person for the better, in many ways. So what are you waiting for?
