Why do we travel?

I woke up on Sunday morning with the aforementioned question, "why do we travel?"

I dreamt of returning to Thailand and setting up a writer's center in my mom's hometown, Kalasin. The dream was sharp and the awakening from that prompted me to think of the human(and my own)journey.

I am yearning to go as far as I can in order to, finally, return to my (mom's) land to reconnect with my native roots, to reacquaint my soul with my childhood memories, to shred all of the toxic waste, to grow with clearer wisdom, to age with a much more refined spirit, to forgive myself and others, to give back to the land and people who I once belonged to, to live an engaging but simplistic life, to seek balance, to keep asking questions, and live my life twice.

When I was 22, I thought that traveling would be a path that would answer all of my questions. I was young and intrepid at that time. My thought was only partially right. Fourteen years after that, I have come to understand that my life journey generates more questions than giving me the answers I want to know. I never thought of that when I was young. I believed that the trip was a stage to help me form my inquisitive mind. Older now, and a bit wiser, I see the interesting paradox of travel.

In every journey, I travel with wonder and questions. I often end up with one or two answers at the end of each journey and also come up with several more questions.

That is why I travel.

TAN