I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’ve traveled to a lot of different places… I’ve been to 26 US states and 5 countries; I have lived in 4 of those US states. There are definitely a lot of people who have been to and lived in many more places than me.
However, with just my small amount of traveling and relocating, I have been able to see and understand something extremely powerful.
From living in Wyoming—with its massive mountains, the cowboys, and brutal winters...
To Hawaii—with its diversity, the beaches and mountains, and the unique culture...
To the Carolinas—with their southern hospitality, comfort food, and humidity...
To traveling to Japan—with its weird toilets, incredible food, and temples (and vending machines) on every corner...
To Indonesia—where a lavish dinner for two only costs $15, where you can see an entire family on a single moped and rice terraces everywhere…
Although I've really only been to a handful of places, I have been able to not only see but also live amongst a breadth of individuals. No matter where I go, I can’t help but see that everyone has a story.
Our taxi driver in Bali telling us about his kids, his friends, and his parents. Our server at a restaurant in Japan telling us about his future plans. Our Hawaiian neighbors telling us what they like to do on the weekends. Our tour guide in Mexico talking about his childhood and what it was like to grow up in Mexico.
We often get so caught up in our own lives and our own ‘special’ stories that we forget that everyone else has their own life with their own stories too. No matter which part of the world someone is living in, each and every person of the 7,873,913,358 (and counting) people living on earth has their own story. Everyone has a reason for doing what they do. They all have their own ‘why’.
Yes, traveling is fun because you get to see new places, try new foods, and experience new cultures, but the people are by far the best part.
You can’t put a price tag on meeting a complete stranger in a foreign country or a new state and striking up a conversation with them, learning their personal story and what their perspective on life is.
The best part is: we're really all the same. I am constantly reminding myself that we are all just little human organisms living on a rock floating through space… how can anyone not be humbled when thinking of life in those terms?
I know traveling costs money... but so does buying stuff on Amazon. Do you really need all of those random plastic things? Or would you rather save up and travel to a new place and experience all of the things I just mentioned? The latter sounds much better to me…
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