In many ways being alive is like being a life long tourist. When you’re a tourist you are travelling through territory that you may never have travelled through before. Even if you have been there, because you don’t ‘live’ there and aren’t intimately familiar with the terrain it’s easy for you to get lost and confused, especially if you’re under pressure. Life is exactly like that.
Every day we wake up, we are slightly different than the day before. We are older definitely (whether we like it or not) and while ageing might be like travelling on the slowest train in the world – it is most definitely travelling. One day we wake up and find ourselves in a completely different ‘country’ with a completely different culture/set of rules. Our bodies which once functioned one way are now different (for better or worse), our minds were also once a certain way. Maybe our minds are more seasoned now – like travellers – but this ‘seasoning’ isn’t always a good thing, some seasoning can involve pickling in vinegar and have a bitter and unpleasant outcome.
The thing about being an actual tourist in this modern age is that most places you travel to will seem vaguely familiar. You’ll have looked them up, read a little about them and seen the pictures – but even so, we all know that when you arrive it’s still never exactly as you expected. The guide book might be out of date and the restaurants and shops it recommends are now closed or turned into pet shops. The smells and colours, and even the air in the place you are visiting will make it slightly different – slightly foreign.
Now this could be a good thing and you might love it and decide you want to live there – or it could be awful and you might hate it and leave on the next train. Most likely it will be neither of these extremes but instead it will be fine. You’ll think it’s reasonably interesting and you might even like it a little but overall you’ll decide it’s a nice place to visit – but you wouldn’t want to live there.
However, you don’t have this choice with your life. You do already live there.
And familiar or unfamiliar as it may seem, it makes no difference – wherever you go – there you are.
Thanks for that Trish, it explains a lot to me this sunny Sunday morning. Continuing on with the journey analogy, mapmaking skills are very handy. I think we often get lost because we don’t face up to exactly where we are right now and refuse to note the features that are unpleasant to us. Since we are always moving forward (in time) continuing the journey with any enthusiasm is to be hopeful of a better future. This requires faith, since the future is a foreign country but also courage to admit where we are now.
Getting helpful directions along the way from fellow travellers is also a bit hit and miss, like the fella who advises ‘well I wouldn’t start from here if I were you’ because he hasn’t a clue and won’t admit it.
Not so you Trish, I find you are a clear, honest and most helpful ‘giver of directions’. I am most grateful. Xxxxx
Thanks Ann – that’s very kind of you – and I completely agree about how hard it can be to face up and also about the ‘maps’ – that’s exactly what we need. You make an excellent point as well about the need for hope in order to go forward – I hadn’t thought of it like that but it’s completely true. Enjoy our tiny serving of sunshine while it lasts!
This is so true and also a great example of why we should be gentle and extend grace to ourselves! Traveling unmarked courses is not always easy.
I couldn’t agree more, Lisa! Thanks.
Fortunately, I’m starting a week long vacation (sort of) tomorrow during which I hope to catch up on your blog.
I love your analogy here. I’ve been experiencing this non-stop journey into new territory on two fronts lately 1) the achiness of aging and 2) parenting (I never dreamed I would be having conversations regularly at 3:30 a.m. well into two decades of motherhood).
The past few months the “terrain” has been especially challenging, but I’m getting better at making my way through it.
One step in front of the other.
Looking forward to catching up on your blog.
I sometimes think parenting might have some of the most variable terrain of all! It certainly is a long road. Enjoy your holidays!
Your analogy is really helpful…I’ve been in a bit of a “foreign-seeming” land during the past week, but can see it from another perspective now..sometimes, I can “get” things more effectively through analogy than through logic and reasoning…so thanks!
I’m so glad – I think that most of us are the same in terms of understanding better through analogies and stories – thanks.
Yep and that is why unhappy people take their shit with them and try to spread it around… 😆 Okay I had to say that one!
Ah yes, this is amazing. As a former psychology student and now travel-blogging nomad, this article is a union of two things I hold dear. Thank you for your insight. I’m excited to have found your website. Cheers.