Thoughts Alluded to Travel (Part 1)
November 29, 2008
by Suzan Abrams
Today was an icy day in Dublin. In the dark evening, the city's streets were crowded with Christmas shoppers and the sparkling decorations were - to use an effective cliche - magnificent to behold. People sauntered about but I was in a bit of a hurry, after having purchased a couple of good dictionaries and thesaurus. It's always been the Oxford for me.Which reminds me of how much a creature of habit I am.
I could be seen as the intrepid traveller but nothing could be further from the truth. I would challenge myself with lands unknown but from time to time will return to the cuisine, cafes, bookshops, stores, churches, parks, seasides and even safari companies and tour guides; that and whom I know best and to be warmly welcomed by those who know me. Sometimes, I may remember a lost cd or book and envision longingly of how I would be able to retrieve it somewhere accustomed on the other side of the world. Somewhere beloved, untroubled and kind.
So I probably wouldn't be clever in a technical geographical sense. But I do relish my regional friends. Returning to a harmonious environment allows a positive inner energy to be preserved. That bliss can be harnessed to seek out cherished pleasures instead of draining it away in the process of having sought out with some trepidation; the strange and unexpected and sometimes too, the folly. Again, it depends on a traveller's desire and mood.
Travelling constantly over the years makes one easily reflective and philosophical. It happens naturally because perceptions are ever-changing; they widen and progress. Your soul never stays still. From where I was once solely the idealist, I have turned extremely analytical.
And then there are the delightful conversations. From street to street in distant continents, someone whom you haven't visited for ages but who still remembers you, will stop for a hug or to exchange pleasantries. At a cafe, a waitress once a long-term acquaintance will offer a warm chat. Visit an internet cafe whose owner you know with utmost regularity and you may be rewarded with snacks, drinks and discounts with the same measure on which you had placed your earlier friendliness.
I've learnt that if you cling to your blessings as if your life depended on it, you'll be handed more. It really works to observe a glass half-full instead of half-empty.
by Suzan Abrams
Today was an icy day in Dublin. In the dark evening, the city's streets were crowded with Christmas shoppers and the sparkling decorations were - to use an effective cliche - magnificent to behold. People sauntered about but I was in a bit of a hurry, after having purchased a couple of good dictionaries and thesaurus. It's always been the Oxford for me.Which reminds me of how much a creature of habit I am.
I could be seen as the intrepid traveller but nothing could be further from the truth. I would challenge myself with lands unknown but from time to time will return to the cuisine, cafes, bookshops, stores, churches, parks, seasides and even safari companies and tour guides; that and whom I know best and to be warmly welcomed by those who know me. Sometimes, I may remember a lost cd or book and envision longingly of how I would be able to retrieve it somewhere accustomed on the other side of the world. Somewhere beloved, untroubled and kind.
So I probably wouldn't be clever in a technical geographical sense. But I do relish my regional friends. Returning to a harmonious environment allows a positive inner energy to be preserved. That bliss can be harnessed to seek out cherished pleasures instead of draining it away in the process of having sought out with some trepidation; the strange and unexpected and sometimes too, the folly. Again, it depends on a traveller's desire and mood.
Travelling constantly over the years makes one easily reflective and philosophical. It happens naturally because perceptions are ever-changing; they widen and progress. Your soul never stays still. From where I was once solely the idealist, I have turned extremely analytical.
And then there are the delightful conversations. From street to street in distant continents, someone whom you haven't visited for ages but who still remembers you, will stop for a hug or to exchange pleasantries. At a cafe, a waitress once a long-term acquaintance will offer a warm chat. Visit an internet cafe whose owner you know with utmost regularity and you may be rewarded with snacks, drinks and discounts with the same measure on which you had placed your earlier friendliness.
I've learnt that if you cling to your blessings as if your life depended on it, you'll be handed more. It really works to observe a glass half-full instead of half-empty.
posted by Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk | 18:33
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