So recently I’ve found myself at a bit of a crossroads. I am currently jobless, income-less, and relationship-less. To be truthful all of this has been by choice, even if I didn’t realize it at first. Yes, I am one of those annoying optimists who believes everything happens for a reason.
I remember learning as a child what was expected of me as an adult. After getting excellent grades in high school, I would pick a good college, decide on a career, get married, buy a house, start a family, and spend the rest of my days basking in the warmth of success.
Everything on the aforementioned list has been checked off, (some with more success than others,) and instead of finding comfort, I've come to realize that many of these aspirations only serve to distract us from the self-exploration which is essential to personal, and thus social, growth. When are we supposed to find the time to understand ourselves within the constant barrage of expectations placed upon us by a culture which is becoming increasingly competitive and separatist?
We are all one people, why create false boundaries of individualism?
I've had the fortune to explore relationships with many people over the past fifteen years since I left home, and my personal truth has come through the awareness that it has been this incorporeal bond with people that has brought me happiness, not the quest for material possessions and social acceptance. This is a realization that many others have reached as well, but not until they are already bound to a system of avarice and self-interest in order to survive.
"Why work a job I hate only to acquire stuff I don’t truly need? Why allow myself to be beaten into an obedient mold just so society can look at me and nod in anesthetized approval?" These are questions that we've all asked of ourselves countless times without obtaining an answer.
I don't have the answer yet either, but I know where not to look.
Starting at the end of March, I will begin a cross-continental journey on foot from New York City to the Pacific coast. There are several objectives I hope to accomplish on this expedition, which I’ve learned through research should take anywhere from 10 to 13 months, depending on my route.
First, it will be a journey of self-awareness that I have no doubt will lead to many individual breakthroughs. I unconditionally believe that the earlier in our lives we are able to reach a personal understanding of ourselves, the easier it will be to reach out to others and share that knowledge. This is essential to the overall evolution of our species and our future way of life. It is my goal to interact with as many people as possible in order to better connect with our human parallels.
Second, I will travel with as little cash as possible, none if viable. If money is needed on my trip it will be what I can acquire through the kindness of strangers, hopefully through some trade in services. The purpose of this is to overcome the misleading notion that we are nothing more than a greedy, self-serving species that cares for nothing but the advancement of our own interests. I don’t believe it. To put a monetary value on life is demeaning and counterproductive.
Third, I will be keeping written and photographic records of my journey. We have slipped away from our primal connection to the Earth that we have always called home, and this in turn has desensitized us to the suffering of our planet and the interconnectedness of life upon it. I hope that my writing and photography will allow people to experience what I experience on my travels, and perhaps relate once more to the intricate ties that bind all life.
As of today, my departure date is Monday, March 30th, 2009. I have my route planned out and it can be viewed under the My Route tab at the top of the page. While on this journey, I have someone who will continue to post updates about my progress on a regular basis.
I am anxious and excited in a way that I haven’t felt in the past, and these instinctual feelings assure me that I am doing the right thing. I’m not naïve enough to think that this journey will be easy, but I hope I’ve been able to express that this in not a trip of martyrdom and self-interest. I truly believe in what I am doing and hope that it inspires even the smallest extent of change.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions.
