I recently read an article that frustrated me. Its title boasted the top 6 reasons why travel was important for young people. It gave compelling reasons that in my opinion, solidly supported their argument. Among the reasons were claims that travel pushes you outside of your comfort zone, it can boost self-confidence, heighten your global sensitivity, make you more adaptable, provide you with networking opportunities, and lastly, create an environment that helps you with language immersion. Folks, these are all wonderful reasons to travel, and in my experience, they are all true. My problem with this article lies less with its claims that travel is vastly beneficial, and more with the semantics and the narrow scope of who society feels travel is appropriate for.
Let me be clear, traveling while you’re young is one of the greatest, I repeat, GREATEST gifts you could give your children. Those of you who were blessed with the opportunity to travel young know what I’m talking about. I was one of those lucky few. My entire life was up-ended (in the best possible ways) because of travel. My issue is this concept that it’s only for the young.
I remember the first time I read the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It tapped deep into parts of my heart I never even knew existed. I devoured it. It changed me in ways I find hard to explain even now. I’ve recommended this book to everyone who will listen. While I’m sure other women in their 30s would enjoy this book, the idea that ONLY women in their 30s could find value in this read is preposterous. I’ve seen people of all ages, both genders, different nationalities and religions connect to this book. It is one of those life changing reads.
Travel is like that. It is AWESOME for young, unattached people, but does that mean that there is no benefit for anyone else? Do we stop needing skills like adaptability, communication, and empathy past puberty? I think we live in an awesome society, but arguably, one that has clearly defined territories.
They say, get your traveling done while you’re young, before you “settle down.” I think again, semantics are to blame here. To “settle down” is to settle. It’s in the very phrase! Don’t get me wrong, I have a beautiful family, a dog, I own my own home, we have new(ish) cars—to society I am “settled down.” However, I have no intention of settling. I traveled a good deal while I was young, but I didn’t magically wake up one day and say, “Oh, that’s it. My travel tank is full. Now I’m done.” No. In fact, the exact opposite happened once I started having a family. I still yearned for travel and culture and adventure, but now I had purpose, people to share it with—young lives to shape. I would hate for my children to grow up and think that creating a beautiful family and planting roots is somehow settling or that if they choose to have a family that it means their traveling is over. I want them to collect moments, to make memories, not just store up a bunch of items in a house they’ll never pay off. I want them to seize the day and live life to the fullest with the people they love the most in the world. But the odds are, they won’t get this message from society. Society will encourage them while they are young to explore, to dream and to adventure, but then it will say, “Okay, you’ve had your fun. It’s time to grow up!” Why does growing up have to be settling? Why can’t we show our children how to LIVE?
I’m reminded of a high school friend who recently went on a months-long European adventure with his 80-something-year-old grandmother. He posted a picture of her in her sweet little nightgown at the curb of the airport, about to go on the adventure of a lifetime. They posted little updates along the way and I couldn’t help but admire her. She is exactly the type of woman I hope to be in this life--completely throwing caution to the wind, not letting age or limitations or society tell her that her time is done. She was living every single day to the fullest and not letting any barriers stand in her way. By society’s guidelines she should be taking it easy, enjoying her golden years curled up under a blanket, knitting with her lap dog, but not this one. She was traipsing across Europe, seeing things she’d always dreamed about. There was no “settling” with her. There is something so magical about taking control of your life and doing what makes you happy, regardless of society’s expectations.
Life can be whatever you make of it. I really do believe you can have your cake and eat it too. I am a teacher. I do not make a lot of money, but I have a full and blessed life—one that I hope has many more years to it. But I know one thing for sure--when I am on my deathbed, I plan to die with a life full of memories and absolutely no regrets. This is my not-so-secret wish for you too. Get out there and make the life you want.