It goes without saying that there’s no place like home. Your heart is planted there. Dorothy was relieved when she woke up in her own house, just as we’re relieved to sleep in our own beds after being away. Travel can be unsettling; however, we owe it to humanity to venture out. We need to experience life beyond our safe little worlds. We need to take on new perspectives, go on adventures, and live different lives for a while because in doing so, we will become more open-minded and empathetic.
But we should always return home. Like Buddha. Like Dorothy. Like me. Return home and take a good look around.
If you travel with an open mind, home will look different when you return. It may seem more beautiful.
On the other hand, you may notice flaws you’d missed before. Perhaps home may reveal itself to be downright unlivable.
And yet, this is all the more reason for you to return. The comparison is necessary for any transformation to take shape.
Home is our center of gravity; it always will be. You may just have to recalibrate our mindsets after you’ve wandered around for a while. Like Dorothy, you may see the faces of those you love in those you meet and vice versa. Strangers will no longer seem so strange anymore.
When we insist on answers and settle on what makes sense within our four walls, that’s when we shut the door to open-mindedness, to a society of progress. Consider the possibility that there are no correct paths; that life isn’t black and white but a spectrum of vibrant colors.
I used to believe finding yourself was achievable. What I’ve realized is you are forever discovering yourself. To stay stagnant in one frame of mind is a disservice to yourself and to humanity.
Now, go explore. Except, this time, run out the front door and bask in the wandering.
