The Portal

Image via WikipediaOver the last few weeks I have been having bouts of buyers remorse, asking myself why I purchased a ticket to Istanbul, with an intent to go to Damascus during the Christmas period.

My level of remorse peaked with notions that I could simply head in another direction from Istanbul, (after all, Istanbul is the crossroads of the world) and if I wanted to back the truck up all the way, I could simply inform British Airways that I would not be making my connecting flight from Heathrow to Ataturk.

But then I checked the mail. Thankfully, my October issue of National Geographic Traveler had arrived. Smack dab on the cover was a picture and a word: Istanbul.

Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents. To quote the article, "Istanbul is the most Western city in The East and the most Eastern city in The West."

It is a portal to another world, no matter what direction you come from.

I smile quietly as the thought occurs that perhaps my instincts are not so bad after all, and yet I am a little daunted by my reckless promises to myself, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Suddenly, I feel a whole lot better about my journey from Istanbul to Damascus

And as I research the trip, I realize that faith is going to play a big part. Throughout my travels I will be hearing the call to prayer at the mosques 5 times per day. I will be seeing biblical ruins and visiting places held sacred by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Part of the reason I booked this trip was to avoid the blind consumerism of a Toronto Christmas. Ironically, I will be spending my Christmas in a land where faith was born. It will be interesting to observe my godless self in such a devout environment.

But as an Atheist, I put my faith where it has always been.

I put my faith in humanity.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Becoming Somebody

Image by aprilzosia via Flickr

A few years back something changed in me.

I gave up in the race to "be somebody", which was  a good idea, because I wasn't doing very well in that competition and decided  that I needed to throw out a lot of the stuff in my head.

I realised that my dreams were more connected to things I wanted to do, rather than things I wanted to have. Make no mistake , having nice things is enjoyable. I have many nice things that I enjoy, but the having or not having of these things has no bearing on my happiness.

The things I own bring me enjoyment, but they do not bring me happiness. However, we live in a consumer culture that exerts relentless pressure on us to confuse the two. Enjoyment is not happiness, and it never will be, no matter what Madison Avenue says.

I enjoy traveling, but the trip itself cannot bring me happiness. It can bring me enjoyment. Happiness only follows from learning the lesson that the journey is trying to teach you. And at any given time, most of us have many different journey's on the go, whether we see them or not.

Its like the difference between trying to "be somebody" and choosing to become who you are.

We are all constantly growing into ourselves, whether we like it or not.


http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Perceived Authority

Image via Wikipedia

When I was eleven years old my parents were pondering a complete change in the direction of their lives. My father was seriously considering moving the family to another city in British Columbia and abandoning his very successful career as a banker. Given that I was eleven years old I was not privy to all the doubt and indesicion that engulfed my parents as they debated their future and my own. But I could feel the spirit of indecision all around me.

One day, I was lazily watching a rerun of The Brady Bunch, The Monkees, or perhaps it was a new episode of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. I don't recall. My father walked into our rumpus room and began trying to convey to me the gravity of the moment, that he and my mother were at a crossroads and seriously did not know what to do.

He then said to me something that I have never forgotten. I paraphrase, but it was essentially this. "You may look at me and believe that I have all the answers, but I don't. You think that grownups have all the answers, but we don't. We don't know anything more than you do about life".

Even at the time, that remark both stunned and informed me, and I am forever grateful to have heard it, and indebted to my father for his stark honesty. That was a teachable moment, and I still carry the lesson to this day.

My father had shattered my blind acceptance of perceived authority and helped me to become a person who questions all authority. I am quite willing to accept the validity of legitimate authority, but in this ever expanding world of fake experts and dubious pundits my fathers sage words continue to serve me well each and every day.

The reason that I bring this up is that in my little social circle I am acquiring some perceived authority of my own through my trip to Ghana and my plans to travel to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in mid November.

In theory, I am supposed to take all this perceived authority and use it to promote my website, blogs etc. Other people have done this quite successfully and many of them have the validity to be rightfully referred to as "real travellers" and "experts".

If you want real experts on traveling, here are two of my favourites, here and here

But I am not one of them. I am just a person like yourself, trying to figure things out.

My goal is not to be an expert, but to throw my story out there. In an ideal world, you hear my story, respond to it and share your story with me. I want to hear your story, so that we may learn from each other. Its not about perceived authority, its about honestly recognizing and sharing our common human experience and teaching each other.

As my father said to me all those years ago, " I don't know anything more about life than you do".

As for me, I'm just trying to share my experience. I have no idea what you should do, and only slightly more knowledge regarding what I should do.

www.goyestoeverything.com