Travel

Travel fascinates me.  I grew up in a family that took very few vacations, and those were only to visit relatives.  The trips we did take tended to be surprises for us kids; they were not designed to incorporate our interests or educate us.  I have never really grasped the idea of planning a trip for months in advance, savoring each moment of the preparation and decision-making.

It used to be that vacations would actually make me physically ill.  The moment I was not absorbed in accomplishing something, or far enough ahead of schedule that I could get away for a few days, I would relax enough that I would get a cold or the flu and spend the first day or two sick in bed.

It is not that I would rather have someone else work out the details of the itinerary so that I can just follow the steps; I tend  not to stick to the details of the plan very well, and I generally prefer working “without a net.”  It is more that working out all the details and being completely prepared for every possible situation is not a particularly efficient way to use my time; being flexible tends to work out better for me than being ready for anything.

I think I have grown in this area.  I still tend to avoid many of the traditional aspects of what a “vacation” is; for example, the idea of going on a cruise tends to bring out the worst in me.

I enjoy the experience of being immersed in a different culture, or of learning a new set of skills.  Actually, I may be more of a pilgrim than someone who goes on vacations.

Pilgrims have a destination, but appreciate that the journey, the pilgrimage, is at least as important as reaching a goal.  Many pilgrims understand that each pilgrimage is an opportunity to gain things as well as an opportunity to give some things up.  Each pilgrimage is a set of challenges, a set of lessons, a series of steps both inward and outward.  There is no set length for a pilgrimage; it can be a journey to a holy site, an approach to walking with friends, a walk through a labyrinth.

Some of my best trips have become pilgrimages; some of my best pilgrimages have lasted for years, at least so far.

What is your favorite pilgrimage so far?

[Image by dmhergert]