before the Himalayas

To me the world seems like a vast ocean of similar goals, similar ideals and similar dreams all wrapped up in different physical bodies.

Traveling makes you realize the expansive similarities of the human spirit juxtaposed against and amongst seemingly endless different living conditions.  To simplify, the goals, hopes and dreams of most human beings are the same; diverse living conditions and cultures are responsible for our differences.

It seems to be the lesson I must learn because time and time again I have entered into a situation with strong preconceived notions about the people, culture or place, only to learn how wrong or near-sighted my ideas were.

That said, I think traveling without concrete destinations has allowed us to experience the magic and mystery of the human spirit.

Most often we humans travel on dedicated timelines with definitive activities, premarked for completion; and if those activities or timelines are thrown off we lose our balance and often our cool.  In fairness, most just want to maximize their limited time away from their jobs, but I submit that if you find a way to live more openly, life will show you a plethora of hidden gems in new people, new places and most interestingly within yourself.

Waiting in the wee morning hours for our flight to Kathmandu, I am sitting on the verge of a trek through the Himalayas of my childhood dreams. If I am to meet the true spirit of the mountains and her people, I must learn to still my heart, calm my breath, and release my tedious preconceptions.

May we live in a world where human spirit pierces to the core leaving all matter of contrived insignificance aside. True beauty is revealed through attentiveness to exquisite subtleties of character.

Safe travels and positive thoughts to you all.

Love,

Patrick