My name is Tracy; and I decided, in 2019, to take an adventure.  

Taking a break from work so I could travel.  I guess, as corny as it sounds, it was intended to be as much a spiritual journey as anything.  

We live in a very large world, and there is so much to explore and to experience.  It is easy to get tied up in our little worlds until our perspective gets more and more narrow. Myself, I grew up in small towns in the American Midwest, and wasn't until I was an adult that I started to see outside that. And, I did not even leave confines of the U.S. until I was over 30 years old. Trust me when I say that you cannot understand or appreciate the world just from social media! 

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Buddha supposedly said, "When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head up and laugh at the sky."  

As young children; we laugh, and laugh freely, because we are not yet worrying about everything.

But, along the way of life, we often forget that the world is a wonderous place full of marvelous, kind, and generous people.

Have you ever looked at a toddler and wished you could enjoy the world around you as much as they do? They do that because they still view the world as new and marvelous. 

I am on this adventure so I can remind myself to laugh at the sky again.

I initially intended to hit the road for 2 years, then go back to work. But, I am far past 2 years and haven't found that I am ready to end this chapter yet. More and more over time, I appreciate that money is not a means to own more things. It is a means to have options and freedoms.  As long as I still have those options, I will likely continue with this chapter. 

Luckily, I have never had that compelling desire to own a Rolex watch, a new car every 3 years, designer clothes, a  second or third home. I have always wanted to save money so life could be flexible.

After all, when life is nearing an end, will I look back and smile about that Rolex or designer suit that I owned 30 years before?

Or will I smile about those children I played soccer with in a dirt field? That family that picked me up while I was hitchhiking?  The temporary friends I made while hiking in Scotland, on a train in Bulgaria, biking in Laos? These are the things that I will appreciate the rest of my life. And, I hope to create hundreds more of those memories before this short magical thing we call life is over. 

And, I am hopeful, that out there in the world I am part of the memories that someone else will have at their life end. That maybe I left somebody with a small, lasting and meaningful touch in their life, as much as they left one in mine.

 

Over the last few years, I have learned, laughed, and even cried.  And, of course, I have had adventures.  Most great, some not so much. 

I couldn't begin to count how many strangers I have met over the past few years (thousands, I am sure), or from how many cultures. I can't imagine that I will ever tire of meeting new and interesting people.  Maybe I am lucky, but I have always found people that were different than me to be the most interesting. Not that I don't find comfort in kindred spirits...I do. I have friends that I absolutely adore. But, people with entirely new perspectives and histories are more stimulating to me.  They are simply mind expanding. 

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These pages will, hopefully, inspire you to have some adventure in your life, also. It doesn't have to be a multi year trip around the world. Adventure can be found in your very own back yard. Do something that is uncomfortable but interesting. Meet people outside your circle, preferably people that are very different than you. Make it a point to appreciate something that other people like, You may just find out that you like it, also.  At the very least, you may understand why other people like things you don't. And that will expand your mind in ways you can only start to appreciate at the time.

I firmly believe that these kind of life adventures make us better people. Make us more compassionate, more understanding.  

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Even though my American education and experience didn't include becoming multi-lingual, I can still connect on so many levels with so many people.  And, I have tried to expand my language ability. Unfortunately, I find that I don't take to learning languages very well, so it is a challenge. But, that won't stop me, I will keep trying. Plus, even though there are thousands of spoken languages in the world, things like smiles and hugs translate into every single one of them!  

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Included in these pages are my personal experiences, my photos, and my writings. Recorded here as much for me as for anyone else.

It is not intended as an advertisement for travel.  But, it is just one man's journey.  Warts and all. 

Hopefully, just a little bit, it can encourage at least one person to have an adventure. Any adventure!