I have always believed that travel “opens our minds.” But George Stone, writing in a recent National Geographic Online newsletter contends otherwise. The idea that travel makes you a more open-minded person is rooted more in well-meaning fiction than in fact…But if travel truly were fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, wouldn’t more of the … Continue reading Does Travel Really Open Our Minds?
Over The River and Through the Woods – On Family Trips
Growing up, when we would visit my grandparents—my mother’s parents—we would always find a reason to sing, “Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…” The song was especially relevant for holidays and always a reminder that visiting our grandparents (even if they lived in the same town) was a treat, … Continue reading Over The River and Through the Woods – On Family Trips
The Most Important Memories I (N)ever Had
Travel is about memories. Our journeys are about the memories we make while we are moving from one place to another. But they are also about the collective memories that we witness and share over time and space as members of the human community. Military wreckage on the Normandy Beach. Ancient stonework attesting to the … Continue reading The Most Important Memories I (N)ever Had
On Being a Pilgrim (Part 5 – A Journey to Death)
There is one pilgrimage we will all take. We do not have a choice. There is one path we will all walk. John O’Donohue describes it bluntly in his book Anam Cara: When we look into the future of our lives, we cannot predict what will happen. We can be sure of nothing. Yet there … Continue reading On Being a Pilgrim (Part 5 – A Journey to Death)
On Being a Pilgrim (Part 4 – Can’t Let it Go )
It has been almost two years since Lena and I made the journey to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago. [A refresher: the Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage pathway through Spain to the tomb/cathedral of St. James. The route Lena and I took, the Camino Frances, is about 500 miles long, from … Continue reading On Being a Pilgrim (Part 4 – Can’t Let it Go )
On Being a Pilgrim (Part 3 – Theme Park or Holy Journey?)
One of the most common—if expensive—pilgrimages known to people in the United States is a trip to the “Holy Land.” I had heard about this kind of travel ever since I worshipped as an adult in a Christian church. I have known people to use a large chunk of his or her life savings to … Continue reading On Being a Pilgrim (Part 3 – Theme Park or Holy Journey?)
On Being a Pilgrim (Part 2 – The Stones Will Shout)
I have had a really hard time writing during this past week. Mostly, in the midst of all the protests on behalf of our Black brothers and sisters, it seems like my words are not the most important words right now. It really feels like talking about any pilgrimage I have been on, whether literal … Continue reading On Being a Pilgrim (Part 2 – The Stones Will Shout)
On Being a Pilgrim (Part 1)
These days I think a lot about what it means to be a pilgrim. Yet it has only been in the last 10 years or so that I have really begun to get the concept. Growing up, all I knew of pilgrims is that they had something to do with American Thanksgiving and wore funny … Continue reading On Being a Pilgrim (Part 1)
Never Going Back Again
Two weeks ago I went through boxes of old files and threw out many folders worth of paper. The files weren’t simply old bills, warranties from devices we no longer own, or instructions for assembling IKEA furniture (I know, who would save those?). I threw away a large file box full of sermons I wrote … Continue reading Never Going Back Again
Disorientation as Life Practice (Part 2 – When Things Fall Apart)
When I began this blog a few months ago, I proudly (even a bit self-righteously) proclaimed that the best travel is about “disorientation” and that it is a life practice we should welcome. You can see my original blog post here. It is true that I can look back fondly on many experiences of travel … Continue reading Disorientation as Life Practice (Part 2 – When Things Fall Apart)
