Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost: Wanderlust

There is a certain spirit of adventure that is undeniable, and originates somewhere within all of us. It’s what causes people to dive to the depths of the sea, to climb the heights towards the heavens and to attempt new things that we would otherwise not think ourselves capable of trying.
 
These “calls” to adventure are different for each of us, but what is becoming alarmingly clear, is that many people deny their inner voice urging them to test their own limits. Safety and comfort are luxuries we hesitate to give up willingly or without a fight.

I’m sure, for everyone, it’s easy to recall a moment when you were both excited and prepared to do something new, but your friend or loved one was not. They were not prepared to enter that cave, or to go skydiving, or climb a mountain, or go horseback riding, or even go and purposely become lost. That last point, the becoming lost, is something I myself struggle with.
 
It’s not so much that being disoriented or unsure of how to get home that disturbs me. It’s difficult to frame the reason as to why I avoid it, but there are those who do this. They move in a direction, any direction, with no concern of where they are going or how to get home. To some, such as myself, this seems nothing more than a hassle. But to others, there is an urge, a “calling”, if you will, to wander.
 
This must be wanderlust feels like, but what I cam beginning to learn, is that for some, to wander does not entail being lost. You could very well not have an idea of where you are at a point and time. But that does not mean you are lost, you are simply wandering round, aimlessly.
 
To be aimless is also something many people find hard to achieve. It’s not that you want to be aimless through life, but there are certainly moments within it where it is not only acceptable, but also even needed. It may be confused that being aimless leads to becoming listless, that the reason for your lack of direction is due to being lazy. That if you drift through life as a piece of bark upon the waves, you’re beholden to the waves. But is that always necessarily a bad thing? Or does this stem from a fear of being blindly led rather than leading yourself?
 
Woes, concerns, and stress all derive from having a certain expectations, and then those expectations not being met. So to relieve yourself, even momentarily, from all these worldly problems, perhaps you should go and lose yourself. Wander aimlessly, whether that means to take a walk in a random direction, or to travel somewhere with no other intention except that to travel. It’s a common saying, “The joy is not found in the destination, but the journey.” I cannot help but completely agree with that.
 
So if the journey should be the focal point, let the destination come second. Wander, journey, drift, meander, roam, and ramble your way forward. Because wherever you arrive in the end means little, it’s how you arrived there that matters. So how then, do we wander? It’s difficult to move in a direction without actually choosing it first.
 
What I recommend are two ways that you can wander, without a purpose, but simply for the joy of the journey.  One is to go on a walk, and head in the direction of a sound or scent that you may notice. It doesn’t have to be a pleasant or unpleasant sound or scent, but one nonetheless. Chances are you will not find what the cause is, but along the way you will notice other sounds and scents which will lead you in other directions. This, in essence is wandering. Essentially letting the wind direct you as the waves do for drifting bark.
 
If you’d like to wander outside the area you live, get ready for a car trip. Again you have to travel in a random direction, and figure out a way to make it random. What I recommend is you follow the sun. Which means you either chase it as it sets in the east, or if you care to welcome it in the morning, greet it in the west. Regardless, you’re heading in a direction for no other reason but to journey; there is no specific destination in mind.
 
The beauty of wandering in a direction with no destination in mind is that the destination will find you. There will come a point where you feel you’ve journeyed long enough and it’s time to go back. At that point, you’ve reached your destination, as you no longer feel the need to wander. Your wanderlust thirst has been quenched. But just as it is with any thirst, it eventually returns if you do not drink.
 
So the next time you have an adventurous feeling and don’t know what to do with it, wander around. Adventure can be found in the least expected places and activities, and they are usually ones you try to avoid. For me, that entailed getting lost. But how can anything be found, unless it’s lost first?
 
The author of this article was Damien S. Wilhelmi, a wayfaring SEO wanderer and roving content developer. You can follow me on twitter @JakabokBotch to realize you don’t know Jack! I am writing on behalf of AAMCO Colorado, who wants you to journey safely in your vehicle, and specialize in transmission repairs.