Childhood Wanderlust
After reading C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a child I spent many hours sitting among mothballed waistcoats waiting for a magical gateway to appear. It would take me to the rolling hills of Narnia, I assumed, though I would have settled for Terabithian forests, the Emerald City of Oz, Neverland's Lagoon or my own Secret Garden.
I understood at a young age that there were lots of real places to discover as well. My father and I would spin a globe with eyes closed and point at our "next" destination; I watched my cassette of Big Bird in China until the tape wore thin and I'm still convinced I'll be the one to put Carmen Sandiego behind bars.
With influences like these, it is unbelievable to me that not everyone grows up to have the same insatiable wanderlust. It was instilled in me long before I even had any concept of how long it would take to travel around the world. I mean, eighty days seemed like a really long time, especially when we had a yearly house-guest who did it in a night...
My imagination has dulled a bit since I stopped hiding in cupboards but thankfully the world hasn't. While I might have a hard time making it to Narnia these days, I'm certain I can find a way to its influence in Northern Ireland, and from there I can head to Botswana or Thailand, Milan via Amsterdam, Mali to Bali, Ohio, Oahu!
I am so thankful to have had the type of upbringing that has cultivated my desire to travel, affords me the opportunity to explore and encourages me to learn more about myself and others in the process. Each day the world inspires people to write, create, DO.
Some day I hope to use my travel experience to entice even more to do the same!
Do it, Rockapella!
I understood at a young age that there were lots of real places to discover as well. My father and I would spin a globe with eyes closed and point at our "next" destination; I watched my cassette of Big Bird in China until the tape wore thin and I'm still convinced I'll be the one to put Carmen Sandiego behind bars.
With influences like these, it is unbelievable to me that not everyone grows up to have the same insatiable wanderlust. It was instilled in me long before I even had any concept of how long it would take to travel around the world. I mean, eighty days seemed like a really long time, especially when we had a yearly house-guest who did it in a night...
Newfoundland is pretty magical sometimes... Last remaining tip of Atlantis, anyone?
My imagination has dulled a bit since I stopped hiding in cupboards but thankfully the world hasn't. While I might have a hard time making it to Narnia these days, I'm certain I can find a way to its influence in Northern Ireland, and from there I can head to Botswana or Thailand, Milan via Amsterdam, Mali to Bali, Ohio, Oahu!
I am so thankful to have had the type of upbringing that has cultivated my desire to travel, affords me the opportunity to explore and encourages me to learn more about myself and others in the process. Each day the world inspires people to write, create, DO.
Some day I hope to use my travel experience to entice even more to do the same!
Do it, Rockapella!
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