Bloom Where You Are Planted
One of my favorite things about traveling is that no matter where you go, you always come back different. The first few days after you’ve returned, there’s this sweet spot where your mind is still thousands of miles away but physically you find yourself in the same routine as when you left. Each place and every new experience gives a new lens to see yourself through.
That’s where I found myself almost two weeks ago. I went on a 12 day trip to London, Sheffield and Edinburgh with my parents. I was excited to spend more time abroad, especially in Scotland. This trip was supposed to be the vacation I’ve so desperately needed to regroup and plan my next move.
While there were bumps in the road (like having the flu on day 2 or traveling 12 hours from Sheffield to Edinburgh and ending up on a bus because all northbound trains were canceled due to flooding) we really did have a great time and saw some breathtaking “once in a lifetime” sights.
But this trip had a different taste. I’ve traveled before and never felt like I was far away from home. I’ve always wanted to keep exploring, keep traveling and just keep moving. The flight home is usually a sad one. Once I step on that plane it usually means back to reality and a routine.
This flight home was different though. For the first time in my life I was excited to be heading back. For the first time in my life, I was homesick.
In the first few days home, I was starting to see through a lens I wasn’t expecting. This trip was meant to be my inspiration to pack up and finally go somewhere new. But what I saw is that trekking off to a city halfway around the world isn’t the answer. Just because I’d live in a new city with new faces doesn’t mean that my life as an adult will begin. I have to learn to live life where I am today; I have to bloom where I am planted.
Going places and doing things where I am now doesn’t mean that I have to stay here, it just means that I need to live today while planning for tomorrow. I still don’t know where my next move is. For all I know, it could be halfway around the world. But I do know that no matter where I am, it’s okay to put down some roots. That’s the only way you can grow.
[Photo by Juliette Kibodeaux.]
