The Joy of Traveling

 
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The Joy of Traveling
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There is one thing that I have learned from traveling: that people have the ability to make themselves happy. They just have to do it of their own volition. If traveling brings joy, then I say travel; if building a hut in the woods brings a smile to your face, then I will help you build away; if it is fun to hike up a mountain, then climb on to the top; if it is more enjoyable to sit around drinking beer, then by all means drink away.

Success in life is measurable only in smiles.   

My aunt Patty with the family of her girlfriend in Trinidad.

I just received an email from my aunt Patty that shows that she has taken direct and unfounded action in her life to make herself happy:

"Hey Wade,     I just got back to Rochester. Wow, what a Fantastically Wild life I have been living as of late!!!!!!! Traveling to places I never dreamed I would by means I never imagined myself taking. Over this past month I've ridden on planes, trains, subways, NYC buses, taxis, fairies, and touring boats. I've visited to NYC, Albany, Trinidad and Tobago. I rode in cars with right sided steering- wheels being driven on the opposite side of the road. I enjoyed exotic foods I didn't realize existed. I was both shocked and embarrassed by my ignorance. I was so unaware of my own superior idealos narrow minded American attitudes until I was slapped across the face by them. Just because things are done differently than what I am use to doesn't make them wrong. It makes them unfamiliar to what I have come accustom to. Once this realization set-in I was well on my way to enjoying every minute. So I will back one day soon."  

My aunt Patty is not a traveler. In fact, she just rode in an airplane for the first time at the beginning of last month, she just got her passport this year, and she had never been out of the USA before a few weeks ago. In point, my aunt made a drastic change in her life at the age of 40, and really began living her days to the fullest. She is now riding high, fending for herself, facing fears, and breaking through the iron wrought bars of routine and obligation with a big smile on her face.

My aunt is now living fully- smiling, laughing, and is not worrying about tomorrow.   

I am happy because she has found joys in her life that she created by herself and for herself alone.

I smile deeply because I know that she has found a seed of joy in traveling.

As I have.

Wade in Antigua, Guatemala
May 4, 2008
Travel Blog Directory * Vagabond Journey.com * Travel Photos


Links to Previous posts:

May 2008 - Guatemala:

Example Traveler- Watched a girl wash her laundry by hand, wrote a blog post about it.

Don't Touch the Electric Shower- Travel Tip #12 about the dangers of the electric shower head.

April 2008 - Guatemala:

Up Pacaya Volcano- The simply journey up to a lava flow coming out of the Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala.

My Early Travels- A quick impression of my travels before Song of the Open Road.

Backpacking is Dead-Long Live the Backpacker- Thoughts about backpacking and the ever changing face of travel

Read the above posts to move further into the Vagabond Journey story.




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