Remember playground days?
A time when we would jump into an unknown situation and just immerse ourselves into whatever level of lunacy was going on without a second thought.
We showed up like we belonged and open heartedly attempted to make a connection.
Sometimes, it worked and we ran and played so hard that we hated going home.
Other times, after many attempts, we just couldn’t find our place and went home willingly albeit heavy hearted.
We opened ourselves up to the situation. We didn’t even know what that situation was but were like, ‘Hey I’m here now, what are we doing?’
Life is hard. We experience hurt, regret and embarrassment. It’s inevitable.
Our guards go up.
Protecting ourselves from possibly hurtful situations we simultaneously isolate ourselves from new possibly great experiences (thank you Untethered Soul).
Travel is not for everyone.
It makes you uncomfortable.
You can’t speak the language.
You don’t know the lay of the land.
Your heart races when you walk out into the street.
You get lost.
Welcome to travel, the last playground frontier we have as adults.
All of a sudden:
We find ourselves asking people for help only using hand signals.
We immerse ourselves willingly in the unknown.
We show up like we belong.
We’re somewhere new.
What’s the worst that could happen?
All of a sudden that protective guard we put around us starts to come down and we learn to relax in the unknown.
Controlling nothing around us except the fact that we are not in control here and it’s OK.
It’s actually fun.
This very act opens you up to new people, food and experiences.
The world as you know it gets a little bigger and you grow emotionally and psychologically because of it.
Travel is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
It’s the gift of experiencing as much as you can in the short time you are given here on this planet.
The world is a beautiful place, filled with new friends you haven’t met yet and places vying to be your favorite.
This here playground scene played out pretty much like they all do.
There are times you think going against the grain, like going up the slide, is a good idea.
Your reward – making it to the top after that slippery uphill struggle.
King of the Castle!
Other times someone slides back down into you giving you a face full of butt.
So you do the only thing you can, stand back up, brush yourself off and get back on that slide before mister slippery pants beats you to it.
That’s pretty much life right there in a nutshell isn’t it?
This spinning ball of dirt called earth is just a big old playground.
Climb that hill. Lead your own way. Start the adventure.
Probably won’t be easy to get to or perfect when you get there but neither are most things worth having.
knot anchored 