I read the stories of Marco Polo, Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan as a child with so much awe. Unlike now when there is Google maps and an amazing transport system, those men sailed on deep and raging seas searching for unchartered, unknown territories with compasses and ill-sketched maps.
What drove those men is called wanderlust, that itching in the soul and deep desire to leave one’s immediate environment and explore places unknown. You see, it is good to read about places, in books or online, but it is one thing to read about a place, it is another thing to visit and experience in real life. Imagine standing on this mountain summit or being at the base to see this view. You would be drawn to its awe and grandstanding.
Our hike on Pan-Kilang hill in 2020. It is the highest mountain in Gombe towering at 978 feet.
Once the wanderlust bug bites, it becomes like a drug, very addictive. People rarely get cured from the bite😄because of the pleasures of exploring and discovering new places. That is why we have some people who keep travelling and exploring, in fact, they travel for a living.
But do we really need to cross the seven seas, travel the world, hitchhike or bungee jump to explore the world we live in or enjoy the pleasures of life? Not everyone is cut out for that, only a few people live like rolling stones.
Do you remember that childlike wonder? How you wanted to know everything? How you would follow a trail and pick things up from the floor?
Your curiosity, where did you keep it? Curiosity is what made Moses stop and seeing the burning bush.
In those days, meals were eaten together as a family. Now, we grab and go, no time to savour the food. We cannot enjoy a friend’s company or listen attentively in meetings or conversations because of social media. There is noise and or silent hum every corner, either the TV is on or music is blasting from a speaker or radio or device or in our ears.
We are constantly pursuing goals and settling responsibilities, like ticking off a checklist. Once a goal is accomplished, the dyke is raised again for another pursuit to attain. No time to live and truly live and enjoy the world freely given to us.
We go through traffic with our heads stuck in our phones (I am so guilty of this). Our foods are genetically modified. Nature has been relegated to the forests, trees are being cut down and our cities are now concrete villages, everything is steel and inorganic. We have lost touch with Mother Nature and the order of things.
Awaken the child within, loosen up and let your eyes come alive with wonder. Never assume you need to have plenty of money, live in the woods, or embark on a long trip to enjoy the beauty of life and nature.
It is a lifestyle, a choice, an attitude. In your day-to-day life, and local area, there are things to appreciate.
Basking in the free sunlight and air
Enjoy every moment and phase of life. Experience life. Seize every opportunity, don’t put off your life for a more convenient time. If you want to do it, just do it. If one keeps postponing, the vibe and drive would deaden with time.
The world is truly beautiful, and it is ours to enjoy. Life is truly for the living!
Don’t wait until you are about to lose it before you appreciate it.
Ciao!
