Thanks for the permission to just be.

I’d say be yourself. And be open. You may be the one hopping planes, but let the meaning come to you. Instead of laying on the beach, looking out at the water, and trying to figure out what your unconscious is telling you, enjoy the view, the breeze, the sand, and just breathe! You’re a heroine on vacation, for goodness sake! The meaning will come to you at the right time.

Maybe some of your quest will be about experiencing meaning without planning it first? As for the passion, I personally think it’s already in your hearts. It may just be more recognizable upon your return home, after experiencing an adventure.

But what do I know? (Deep down I’m a closet pessimist!)

I’m not sure I could give you bullet points about the ways I’m different from my travels, but I do feel that they shaped me and contributed to making me the person I am today. If I had to verbalize how they did that? Okay:

I think seeing the wider world, and the variety of ways that people live, has given me a greater sense of freedom and confidence about pursuing non-traditional ways of living, here in the States.

And the language thing is a biggie; I have always loved words, and careful word choice, so experiencing the humor of cross-linguistic misunderstandings has brought a greater richness and nuance to my sense of language.

Do you think and live differently now because of your youthful backpacking adventure? Was it a fleeting change or did it truly alter your life?

Mr. HalfFull constantly quotes Star Wars, but it’s just not my thing. Like you, I relish the people focused drama, so if that is the central element rather than the action and sci-fi, I might enjoy the movie. For example, I really enjoyed the movie Gattaca in high school.

That’s a great perspective on Nirvana in the first sip of coffee, knowing you have a whole cup to savor.

As a youthful backpacker, I traveled to Italy, France, Holland, and England. The couple of trips I took were formative in every way. I think traveling does that—your whole sense of self is rocked by being uprooted and confronted with so many new ways of living and being, and you come back with fresh eyes for your home world.

Ancient mythology, fantasy, and science fiction are not my genres of choice. I have little patience for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, for example, though Charlie adores it. I get its merits, but reading it kind of bores me… I’m sure there is fantasy writing out there that I might enjoy, though, that I don’t know about yet. I was against watching Battlestar Galactica with Charlie, it being sci fi, but I ended up loving it—lots more good people-focused drama than I’d anticipated.

I love seeing you swept up in Mr. HalfFull’s dramatic flair!! It is quite entertaining.

I think Nirvana is found more in the first sip of coffee—the almost throat-burning, fresh-roasted gulp.

I love when there’s a framework of meaning around something, for instance traveling…, on the other hand—I think there can be a danger in building it up with expectations for tangible revelations. The effects of your trip may be subtle and slow. I am sure that this trip will change you and bless you, and yet it may be hard to name how it is happening at first. Or maybe not.

I would say I follow my heart / spirit. I don’t think my mind is divorced from that, but I’m definitely more of an intuitive decision-maker.

In that scenario, i believe Travis, the guru of nirvanna, would guide you to a few PBRs as the best substance to enhance your subconscious adventures. Or maybe one step further, some goose in your juice to unlock the inner spiritual being!