Argentina Trip: Sunday, May 9

Quote for the day:
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" -Confucius


A group of travelers arrived at two different airports but with the same destination printed on their tickets. With bags in hand, smiles on their faces, hope in their hearts, and minds full of anticipation, they left the known with carefully constructed plans in hand for the unknown. And although the details were meticulously constructed and scrutinized, what will truly occur on the trip, as in what touches the soul most deeply, they knew could not be formulated. The memories that will be held most dear for years to come are not known at the beginning of the adventure. It is at the end when all is made clear.

Travel has a way of peeling the fingers from the grip we hold onto the known and comfortable. It opens us to grow in new ways. Therefore, to go into this trip with a rigid mind and a closed heart would be a tragedy. The inconvenience of the luggage, the long hours in the air, and the cost of the trip are nothing when compared to the wisdom, memories, and soul satisfying experiences that are a result of embracing the travel experience. May we embrace the culture, the people, and the experiences before us. May we all approach this experience with open minds, hearts, and hands so that we can return changed for the better.

The Rolling Stones famously composed the lyrics, "You can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need." I listened to these very words as I flew comfortably at 35,000 feet and I began to think about satisfaction and need in relation to travel. People want a vacation that satisfies our selfish, individualistic desires but what we may find we truly need is a vacation that feeds our soul through the meaning found in connecting with others. This thought lingered as I stared out the window and across the endless white sky. The sea of clouds below me connected my mind to heaven and ultimately to the meaning of life. Is there anything in life that has such innate value that we pursue it almost blindly? Is it perhaps purpose or perhaps love or perhaps God? These certainly motivate all of us on some level and they cannot be pursued in the vacuum of loneliness. Hopefully together we will experience purpose, love, and God on this trip.

I set my gaze on the clouds again and wonder what it would be like to fall and land amongst them. Would I bounce amongst their soft cushion as if it were my playground? Would I float in a sea of child-like wonder amongst them until I eventually fell into a distant land below? I smile as I thought of this and of where we were headed. And so, as the sun sets and casts a soft glow across the green lands below the thick white clouds, a warmth also spreads across my heart. I'm contented with this adventure we are on and I'm ready to rest now and dream of tomorrow. May it come soon and bring us safely to Argentina. May we find purpose and love there.