wan·der·lust [ˈwändərˌləst]. n. a desire to travel, to understand one's very existence.
If you attend services on Yom Kippur, you can listen all day long to dozens and dozens of different prayers. A Rabbi once told me it was because everyone responds to different things, different words. By offering so many prayers, you increase the likelihood that something will move you deeply.
When I think about this I imagine a room of people, some tired, some bored, most just very hungry. But at any given moment, at least one of those people really feels something. That feeling is like a glow, traveling around the room throughout the day. You never know what will have an effect on you, what will make you pause, bring a tear to your eye, make your breath stop, make your heart race, make you laugh or make you want to jump up and down.
Although it's not traditional, I like this definition of wanderlust. It's not just an insatiable urge to travel and experience new things - by doing that, you also experience yourself. And the more you see, the greater the chances that something will incite wonder.
I have had a love affair with travel for as long as I can remember. When I was young I thought everyone had a passport, that it was like a social security number handed out at birth. I've been many places in my life, and under many different circumstances. And although they have all been incredibly memorable experiences, I somehow manage to forget a lot of things anyways. This must stop, and blog seems as good a vehicle as any to record my travels, and share them with anyone who cares to read.
