On Traveling

Move from point A to point B and you have just traveled. But many would not define traveling as just that. A lot of people would consider traveling as something to do with packing for a journey. It entails going somewhere one is not familiar with or going to where one seldom goes. Going to a distant restaurant or a mall where one frequents for his meals or groceries is not considered a journey. It is just another itinerary routine of the day. For most of the people, traveling only happens when one packs his stuff and ventures with much excitement and enthusiasm to “the place.” Traveling has really come to be defined as going to a distant destination relative to the experience of the traveler from his point of reference.

The distance may be relative to the traveler but the motion from point A to point B remains to prevail for a definition of travel. Consider it then that a thing has traveled when it is not in the place where it used to be after a moment has passed. The element of time attesting to that difference spells change and movement. It may be too technical to speak in these terms but it is from this very basic idea that we have come to ignore and neglect the beauty of travel. Traveling consists then of the very process of moving. It is the process of arriving to a particular place coming from a certain point of reference.

When one forgets this basic concept, one is bound to miss these little precious moments in his life. Traveling to Europe for example can be very exciting. But it is in the process of moving from one place to Europe which is more exciting. The process while getting to “the place” builds up much of your anticipation which is a good feeling as it grows more and more until you reach it. It definitely psyches you up. But when one gets there, one is confronted of the reality of the place. There becomes no room for imagination and fantasizing. It is similar to going somewhere. You may just be going to your next door neighbor to get something. But the thought of going there is suspended until one really gets there. It is in the suspension of getting into the end which makes room for the little precious moments. Too bad that one becomes too preoccupied of its end in the mind that one forgets to linger in the moment while getting there.

Comparably this could be similar to one’s journey in life. “The place” can be enjoyed double if one enjoys the process. Too bad people often get there before they really even get there.