Years ago I bought a map of the World for my study. It was a big, feature piece for the ‘long’ wall, designed to add a bit of colour to the room, something timeless, whilst appearing a little ‘educated’ if you know what I mean. It was either that, or dogs playing billiards…
My computer is directly below it and so I find myself staring at it at various times. Sometimes I’m just taking a break from something I’m doing; sometimes, I’m working out a thought in my head; sometimes I’m simply looking at a map of the World…
That map has cost me ten’s of thousands. It has cost me sacrifice. It has cost me countless hours in reading, planning and reasearching. It has made me learn new skills, such as photography. It has made me learn (at least) a few words in several languages. It has helped me meet people. It has helped me understand that I am so immeasurably lucky that I have literally changed my entire view on what constitutes a ‘problem’ or a ‘bad day’ or an ‘issue’. It has changed my view on what living is about. It has taken me to places where I have experienced extremes of emotion, to where I have been far outside my comfort zone and to places that I wished I could stay forever.
I love my map. And as I was staring at it this morning, I felt its little tendrals once again wrapping around me. beckoning me to travel…