Growth.

Travel

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime. – Mark Twain

Honestly, I’m a homebody. My home isn’t fancy, but I love being home and being with my community. Learning how to drywall, fix a dishwasher or a busted pipe, are all good skills to have, but I have found the most profound changes have come from exposing myself to new cultures.

I love meeting new people and experiencing new places, new foods, new lifestyles that are drastically different from my own. Getting outside of my comfort zone is terrifying, but it’s thrilling, and necessary. It’s certainly a challenge for me to travel, and much harder than I care to admit, but it’s completely worth all the hassle. One time, I was so in my head about my trip, that when I got off the plane, I proceeded to my hotel, without my luggage.

But I always get to learn, about the people, the place, and about myself. I get the chance to grow in ways I would never have dreamed. Sometimes the souvenir is a customs stamp. Other times is a bruise. If you’re lucky, it’s a photo you’ll show off to others, inspiring them for their own journey.