I was raised in a place that people came to in the summer. Tourists. The locals welcomed them at the beginning of the summer and celebrated their departure on the first Tuesday of September. One thing I didn’t want to be when I grew up is a tourist.
We’ve all heard it over and over and over again. Travelling is broadening. Travelling makes you a better person. Travel, travel, travel, babble babble babble. I personally haven’t seen any evidence to support this point of view.
Case in point. I was watching the Oprah show, maybe a year ago. The woman was on who wrote a book called ‘Eat, Pray, Love’. I haven’t read the book. I know I would have twenty years ago, but we change. I’m sure it’s very worthwhile reading. I read ‘Women who love too much’ not once but twice. Changed everything. But I digress.
At some point in the interview she was talking about flying to the other side of the world to talk with a man who had never been out of his village. Actually, I think she said he’d never been off his front porch but that seems so unlikely I can’t be sure that’s what I heard. I was only listening with one ear to that point. But isn’t that something else. This woman who was seeking enlightenment, guidance, and all that good stuff was going to TRAVEL to the other side of the world to seek guidance from a guy that had blossomed where he was planted. An extreme example but . . .
There’s a really goofy reason I’m going on about this. I can’t admit it today. Tomorrow, for sure. I’ll be able to tell the goofy truth tomorrow.
