![[monumentum]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZ35Jk04DOExa4SYKxFysEeLnDhRMoPecY-CUwBqjyvQX0NBLlYUljq47hmRNyt_z4DWYjMhXqC8AfRZNpgjDmoqlDuUrMT_SoJGXcGoYBZ151nCN9A2b8XBjQ126wRjU-T0K8XUzT1qR/w950-h400-no/IMGP3970%2528v02+-+cropped21%2529.jpg)
For those who contemplate traveling but are still steeped in the dilemma to do so. There are indeed many times when we tell ourselves that our decisions should not be governed by idealistic little posts like these (this & links). Yet, how many have made the effort to do actual planning and calculation? How many welcome changes?
A few days ago I had the opportunity to speak to a thinking member of the "proletariat" class. He had recently decided to give up a rather well-paying job of 2 decades to return to his hometown, for the sake of the family members who had long been neglected, and for the sake of stopping to see the things that he never bothered to pay attention to. He was delighted at the prospect, and so were his family members. I was delighted for him.
Many are, in fact, prone to think that they are responsible for their own lives. Yet as we pursue what those around us are so inordinately coveting, the tendency to lose track of our individual goals exponentially turns overwhelming. The bottomline is to pursue true satisfaction, on top of the capitalist desires to consume. "Rich" in the true sense of the word, does not only constitute the monetary aspect. It is not about the houses & cars we own. It probably also does not involve suffocating at the rise and fall of the stock market. Perhaps some fashion plates might enjoy adorning their bodies to advocate the creative products of others. Perhaps some others prefer to indulge in the extravagant throw-away consumer culture of the first-world.
I don't feel compelled to be overly critical. For each to his own. Then again, maybe, just maybe, having a broader spectrum of experiences might or might not alter our worldview. Because the world is not only about glitzy fashion labels and the endless toil to feed an upmarket taste.
(Photo: The helpers who were lending hands, hooves & feet in the pre-departure packing process. Readying a backpack for one hell of a trip that's been causing an uproar in the family)
I don't feel compelled to be overly critical. For each to his own. Then again, maybe, just maybe, having a broader spectrum of experiences might or might not alter our worldview. Because the world is not only about glitzy fashion labels and the endless toil to feed an upmarket taste.
In my 2 decades or so of existence, I have undeniably been blessed (no religious connotation intended) enough to experience much. But I know that these did not just fall from the sky overnight. I also learnt that the once glamorous little dresses in my closet do turn moldy and fall out of trend, my once sought-after models of cellphones have now become a subject on 9gag, and the tons of toys that I tormented my parents to buy are but permanent occupants of the unfrequented store room. Devoid of material possessions, memories persist. Relationships founded on foreign grounds and the occasional greetings from a friend of distant past, across thousands of miles in the form of a local trinket or written words, revive memories and warm monotonous days. The unbreakable bonds formed with travel companions are a bonus.
The travel journey, I contend, is not an idealistic matter of the heart. This is the result of months & years of careful contemplation, of meticulous calculation, to make things work out. It is also important to note that this is less trendy than the blinding lights of shopping districts, and a less easy way to spend life. It is a deliberate, relentless, lifetime game of chess. It is the ultimate pursuit - life's fulfillment of the basic share of human freedom.
The travel journey, I contend, is not an idealistic matter of the heart. This is the result of months & years of careful contemplation, of meticulous calculation, to make things work out. It is also important to note that this is less trendy than the blinding lights of shopping districts, and a less easy way to spend life. It is a deliberate, relentless, lifetime game of chess. It is the ultimate pursuit - life's fulfillment of the basic share of human freedom.
