Don't be Content...

In my line of work, I talk to people about travel every day. I have found that there are several types of people. There are those who live to travel; taking extended trips that explore far beyond the typical "must sees", sometimes lasting several months or even years. There are those who want to travel; taking their yearly vacation if time and money allow it. And you have those who are content with where they are and travel is just not important to them.  Not too many years ago, I was one who was just content where I was. I thought that by living in Texas, I had everything I needed. The occasional trip to the Mexican border towns for a few drinks in the cantinas and shopping in the mercado was plenty of cultural expansion for me.

Then I was invited, convinced, prodded, and basically pulled to Costa Rica for 9 days and oh how my life was changed.  I remember sitting on the bus between towns surrounded by banana fields as far as the eye could see thinking, wow this truly is a different world. Nothing was familiar, except the Bob Marley music of course, and for the whole trip I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would I see next; what would I experience next; what would I learn next. Sure it was a little uncomfortable at first, but the excitement quickly won out and I had the time of my life. I returned home thinking how small Texas was when compared to the world both physically and culturally.  Not a day has gone by since returning from that first trip that I don’t yearn to be somewhere new, learning about different cultures, foods, customs, and perspectives. My favorite quote about travel: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine.  This was truly a lesson learned, as I look back and think about how much more I could have seen and experienced if I wasn't so content.