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I’m writing these lines from a train between Bern and Geneva, Switzerland. It’s very early in the morning, and for every night owl like myself, it can be challenging (this is an example of a 1st world problem — just for your reference).
People, I missed it. I missed traveling a lot, and even after spending the whole month of May on the road…
…my heart is constantly searching for opportunities to move between time and space.
I missed traveling so much that even if my second name is a night owl and taking early trains can be daunting, my heart is joyful, and my body and brain have already forgotten about the lack of sleep. They simply immerse themselves in the sunbeam saying “hello” through the wide windows.
So this story is about traveling, discovering new places, and visiting old places. I still remember dancing in the fountains at the Nations Square in Geneva for the first time in 2016 — just danced again today. It is about talking to new people, recognizing “old” faces on the streets, being surprised and delighted… and simultaneously increasing a creative capacity.
So this story is, in the end, about creativity.
To me, traveling is the one instance where I can see my creativity increasing its capacities on the spot.
And this, as you can imagine, is not a new phenomenon. Traveling makes individuals more innovative, human, and happy. It has been scientifically proven, too (for sure the “innovative” part!) But today, I don’t want to bother you with scientific papers.
Instead, I will quote the writer & entrepreneur Mark Twain:
“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 (wo)men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
It sounds like we need “traveling” more than ever. So let us travel if we can, to nearby places, hills, and valleys, cities, and villages and the ones far, far away…
The next stop is… Namibia. Anything you think I definitely need to visit and experience there? Share in the comments!
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Hey, thanks so much for reading! Elephant offers 1 article every month for free.
If you want more, grab a subscription for unlimited reads for $5/year (normally, it's $108/year, and the discount ends soon).
And clearly you appreciate mindfulness with a sense of humor and integrity! Why not join the Elephant community, become an Elephriend?
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Ready to join?
Hey, thanks so much for reading! Elephant offers 1 article every month for free.
If you want more, grab a subscription for unlimited reads for $5/year (normally, it's $108/year, and the discount ends soon).
And clearly you appreciate mindfulness with a sense of humor and integrity! Why not join the Elephant community, become an Elephriend?
Your investment will help Elephant Journal invest in our editors and writers who promote your values to create the change you want to see in your world!
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