To Connect or Disconnect?

In the beginning of 2004 I spent five months studying abroad in Australia. I left my laptop and cellphone at home. I only went online at the library. Facebook? What's that? Twitter? Hey, don't call me that! I only spoke to family or friends when I was in my bedroom and heard the phone ring,which wasn't very often (come on, I was in AUSTRALIA!). At that point in time I was nowhere near as connected as I am now - with my iPhone that's always nearby and accessible internet at all times. After a day or two in Australia I got over the initial weirdness of not having a cellphone on me 24/7 and actually kind of loved not being accessible ALL THE TIME! I was more present with the people I was actually physically around. (You know - you would be at a party or a bar and everyone was talking to each other, not looking at their phones or texting the person across the room). It was a more difficult adjustment to be so connected again when I returned home.

I'm not saying I don't love being connected because I do. I love social media and that I can share pictures or thoughts on Facebook and have feedback seconds later. I love that I can post a question on Twitter and get an answer in less than a minute. I love that if I'm lost I can simply tap my iPhone screen a few times and find out exactly where I am. I love that if I don't know if I can eat a food because it might contain gluten I can Google it and know right away if I am "safe."

I want to keep up my blog while I am gone and connect with other travelers via Twitter. However, I don't want to lose the authenticity of traveling to a new place and getting truly lost. It's in those moments where I feel the most alive and connected to the world around me.

Would we have a richer experience if we left the gadgets behind?

I'm hoping that we will be able to find the right balance, utilizing social media and connectivity periodically in order to update our family and friends on our adventure as they are all requesting, and researching places we are or will be going to be more knowledgeable. However, I don't want to carry our phone with us constantly to Google where we should eat for dinner or stay for a night or to find our way to a local landmark. I want to ask the shop owner or the elderly man who stops to ask us what we are taking a picture of because these are the experiences I remember. These are the memories that make a trip an adventure that will stay with us forever. These are the connections that make me feel alive. And what's better than that?

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

Joe Lewis

Living Life on the Great Ocean Road, Australia

Bubbling to the Surface

Over the past week and a half or so my world "got flipped, turned upside down," in the words of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  My grandfather passed away after a short stint in and out of the hospital.  He lived a good, long life and was 84 years old, however, his death was still unexpected and has been a very difficult experience.

Because of his death, I wanted to be close to my family, so I spent a lot of time at my parents' house.  My employer was extremely understanding and generous, allowing me to work the hours I was able to, which amounted to a strange schedule, coming into the office for a couple hours here and there, but not really being able to fully focus when I was at my desk.  Our house became a bit disheveled, much like the way my mind felt, and my desk at work was not dissimilar.

Today was the start of a new week, and as hard as it was to go back to the office this morning with a full week of playing catch-up and some large projects looming ahead, it has been a good day.  I was forced to start picking up some of the scattered pieces of things I worked on last week and get back into a routine.  As much as routines can frustrate me, today it was exactly what I needed to get me moving and back to the reality of my life.  I had a busy and productive day at work, got home a little after 5pm and felt the motivation to do a bunch of small tasks around the house that needed to get down, but had been neglected over the past week and a half (or longer!).  I pushed through my workout, and here I am, getting back to writing my blog.  I have to say, it feels good, and I'm starting to feel like myself again. 

I can't say I'm not thinking about the changes that have occurred in my life over the past couple weeks, because I have been reminded several times today of the loss of my grandpa, by little things I've heard as well as concerned coworkers sharing their sympathy and kindness.  However, the have-to's are helping me to re-focus on my life instead of only focusing on his death.

The reality of life and death has been, unsurprisingly, brought to the forefront of my mind lately.  I feel the pull of living my dreams and living my life to the fullest as well as concerns and fear of something tragic like this happening to someone I or my husband (or both of us) love while we are on the other side of the world pursuing our dream.

Despite these worries that have bubbled to the surface, I refuse to let these fears paralize me and prevent me from pursuing our dream ahead. As I said, death has a tendency to spur self-reflection and with that I know that only I can create my life and make it what I want it to be.  So I must fully commit myself and experience the life that I want.  I can only take one day at a time when it comes to my concerns.  To live in fear of the "what-ifs" is what causes so many people to never act upon their dreams.

I want to be proud and happy when I reflect on my life and never wonder "what if?" and to me, today, that means working towards and accomplishing this dream of a long-term adventure around the world.

What do you want to do with your life?


Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net