I suddenly feel so claustrophobic! Take it as a figure of speech… It is as though we, as individuals, are all so naive, but I shall explain my ideals. We live in our little homes, neighborhoods, communities, towns, and cities. We find a daily commute to work to be an exhausting trek, and the people we interact with as a routine of our lifestyle. We think of roadtrips to the other side of the state as a journey far beyond our borders of home. We consider taking an airplane to another location as either an established business trip or a moderate vacation, and we truly share to the world when we plan to leave the country, because that is something we consider worthy of headline news.
But the fundamental question is… Why do we get so focused on only the branches of our personal lives?
Look at who we are. We are individuals living in our own bubbles, whether they be large or small, constantly shifting around or staying fixed. It is overwhelming to try to think of how all the different people in the world simply “live”. While working a shift at the Tualatin Haggen Service Deli, I helped a couple of customers who were purchasing some fried food items because they were cleaning out their refrigerator in preparation for their travel to London, England. I was really taken back – kind of lost in the moment. I then realized how intriguing it is to expand your horizons, bring yourself out of that bubble of life we get so focused on.
Consider it. Where are you right now as you view this blog? Your home, your school, your job, your city? Is it anything new? We live like a broken record – we stick to routines like they are all we got.
My eyes are opening to new possibilities – just like Leeloo becoming exposed to all the elements of life by gazing at the supercomputer in The Fifth Element. I’m seeing this life outside of mine… This life that’s experiencing the world, traveling to new places, understanding culture, and capturing the moments of a lifetime. I find it kind of ironic. Back in 2008 (the second of three times I worked at Haggen), I befriended a guy working the seafood department named Rob. He gave me his words of wisdom and suggested that I travel my first year of being out of high school. He elaborated, describing how satisfying it is to see the places you want to see, experience it, and clear that desire to see what else is out there. I declined the idea at first, but now I really understand where he was coming from.
How did I get to writing about this?… Facebook! One of my acquaintances from middle school, who now goes to Oregon State University, traveled to Istanbul, Egypt, Dubai, and is now located in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m so jealous! Apparently he’s out and about traveling with his father for a couple of weeks. That is quite the dream (and expensive) trip, thus this is why it’s an instant inspiration to discover the world.
I’ve been told from a young age that time seems to go faster, the older you get. As I get older, I am finding truth to this and often wonder why this seems to be. I know that time itself is not actually speeding up, rather it’s my perception of time that is changing.
I believe that repetition in your daily life has a major impact on the way that you perceive time. You see the same things / people day in and day out… get coffee from the same store, stop at the same intersections, etc.
Get out of your bubble as often and in as many different ways as possible. For some, this may mean travel and for others, it may be venturing into social situations or events or even something as simple as taking a new route to work. Whatever it is, I believe that you must keep experiencing / learning… something new, everyday.
I’d imagine that worldly travel is the pinnacle of this, as it offers an over abundance of newness, from geographical to cultural differences. But why is it so damn expensive??
Good read, thanks!
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