Seeking new sights at the whim of the wind
“Follow the sun,
And which way the wind blows,
When this day is done.
Set your intentions,
Dream with care.
Tomorrow is a new day,
Brand new moon, brand new sun”
-Xavier Ruddd, Follow the Sun
Boy oh boy has this trip been a trip. Though I prepared by doing research, seeking advice, I was entirely unprepared for what traveling alone would truly mean. I’ve been on my own for three weeks now and the feeling is incredible, overwhelming, exciting, exhausting, and entirely thrilling. Each destination has been in its own way eye-opening and has taught me so much about myself.
This being said, I think I’ve found the meaning of “it’s not about the destination, but how you get there.” This trip is the first one I’ve taken where I truly don’t have an end destination. Sure, I have to get back to the USA at some point, but as of now I still don’t have a departure location or date. As a fairly planned-out person, this has shown me that sometimes the best plans are ones you haven’t made. For instance, I had planned on traveling from Berlin to Prague right away. As I thought about this, I realized it wouldn’t be right to be be in the same continent as family and not make an effort to see them. So I decided to change course and head north to Copenhagen and then see family and friends in Sweden. Originally I thought that heading to Scandinavia would be a bit out of the way, and then I realized it truly wasn’t possible to be out of the way as I had concrete path to take.
This freedom has shown me to have patience and let the wind take me. It isn’t worth stressing out over travel plans and getting caught in the details. Life has a way of working itself out. It has also taught me the importance of keeping an open mind. Why say no to something when you have no real reason to? Keeping an easygoing attitude and a wide open mind has made my trip that much more exciting.
So, I write this post to urge you to keep your paths in life open-ended. Whether it’s on a trip or in the workplace, sometimes having the end in sight can make you miss the view along the way.
