Myths

Over this past year I have noticed a pattern of thought about my choice to travel. Many people are supportive and kind, but they assign me a mythological reason for why I have chosen this path.  Because I am too prideful to let everyone else dictate popular thought about my decisions I am clearing out the mythological creatures inhabiting my metaphorical life.

Myth #1: The Sphinx
Lauren wants to travel to find herself

No. No I am not. I assure you, I am right here. I know who I am, I like who I am, I am proud of who I am. I hold no conception of some part of me being in Japan or New Zealand or anywhere other than where I am right now. I don't expect to have a grand epiphany or eureka moment while I am traveling. I am a lot of things, but lost is not one of them.

Myth #2: The Pegasus
Lauren wants to escape

Nope. I am not trapped, I have the freedom to go wherever I want, whenever I want at my own volition. Nothing is keeping me here, and it is this realization which has propelled me to leave. I don't have to escape anything because nothing is holding me down. I'm not running from my emotions or from responsibilities. I'm not flying away to some kind of freedom of the soul. I am just going to a place I want to go, to have new experiences, and learn about culture, and meet people who look at life through a different lens than my own.

Myth #3 The Phoenix
Lauren is doing this because it's the easy way out

NO. Let me just ask, what about this looks easy? If I'm making this look easy then please, let me correct my mistake and be real with you. This is probably the hardest decision I've ever made. Not the decision to travel, or buy a ticket, or pack a bag. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I have to decide not to back out. I have to convince myself again and again to send another email, answer another question, and not fall apart when I have to run in circles to please everyone who cares about me.

Myth #4 The Griffin
Lauren is being reckless

Well this is just nonsense. If you saw the yellow pads full of resources, planning, budgets, back-up plans, lists, and cost analysis you would be a fool to think I'm being reckless. If you knew about my safeguards, and extensive research in to safety for female solo travel you would feel silly for thinking I'm just riding a smooth wave to my departure date.

Myth #5 The Unicorn
Lauren is running away from responsibilities

On the contrary, I've just handed myself an extensive list of responsibility I would have never had to worry about before. I'm responsible to make sure my family and friends know I'm alive. I'm responsible to make sure I stay alive. I'm responsible for my living, my finances, my transportation, my health, my education, my belongings. I'm still responsible for what I decide to do with the rest of my life. Just like everyone else is responsible for what they decide to do for the rest of their lives.


Trust me friends, it's not that deep! I'm going to meet people, help people, be stretched spiritually and physically. I am going to learn and to change the way I look at my narrow world. I want to take you along, and the only way you can fully enjoy my experience is to get rid of the mythological creatures everyone seems to think I'm housing.


This list of mythological creatures brought to you by wikipedia and Harry Potter.

Comments

  1. This post is fantastic. I feel like every young traveler probably wishes they had the creativity to dispel these misconceptions in such a creative, non-shouting kind of way. - Emily Blake

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