I am 27 years old, and I can guarantee you that nearly anyone who knows me or knows of me will tell you that. But I could do the same about them. I could tell you a million reasons why what THEY do is so incredible and inspiring because it's different than how I go about my life.
One thing that makes me different from many people is Wanderlust. Yup, Wanderlust with a capital "W." That uncontrollable, inexplicable desire to GO. I don't know when it started and I don't know if or when it will ever stop. Sometimes it drives me crazy. Sometimes I wish I wanted to just be in my current location and love my job in the same office with cool coworkers, a cool house or apartment, and cool friends who lived close to me. The reality is, that's one of the things I admire about some of my friends...that they DO have that, and that is AWESOME! But I don't.
I have a bad case of Wanderlust and I have a feeling it's going to stick around for a while. Some say it's a Generation-Y thing. I think that's pretty unfair. I have met lots of people in my travels that are much older than I am who have the exact same itch and urge to travel every second of their day. And it goes beyond just wanting to (I know lots of people who say that they WANT to travel, but who don't). I think it's because Wanderlust is more than just a desire to travel...it's a need. You physically FEEL it. You think of every possible way that you can make travel an option because it's like breathing for you. If you wait too long, you feel like you might die. Ok, you are logical enough to know that your heart probably won't stop beating and that you will continue to breathe in and out, but something inside of you will die. And that is not an exaggeration.
Traveling, for me, is life. Working is not. That is not to say that I don't think work is important...it gives us purpose and meaning and self-worth. And many people have the great blessing (or curse, depending on his/her stance) of traveling as part of their work. Traveling, for me, is what this whole big "Life" thing is all about because it gives me a chance to see the interconnectedness that I have talked about in my posts. It gives me a way to visualize and make physical the connections that I feel to others whom I have never met, and may never meet.
People who do not have Wanderlust may not understand. They might not, and that's ok. It is the same reason why I can imagine loving the life that my friends or family members live, but not loving it for myself. The difference is, they won't ever FEEL it, the way that you do. They might think you are irrational or illogical. That's ok. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. And the thing is, if you have Wanderlust...you're going to travel, anyways.
So, set sail, my dear Wanderlust-infested colleagues of the world. GO forth, do more good than harm, and promote peace and love and union instead of ostracizing yourself from the "other," whatever that "other" might be. There is a reason for each of us to be how we are. There is a need for the Wanderlust and a need for the stability of home. There is a need for everything in between. Just remember before you judge anyone, we're different. And it's A-O-K.
Want to know more about that Wanderlust feeling? Here's a video to give you a little insight!
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