Kinetic Energy

While cruising down the California coast on what has endearingly become known as "the road trip" this fall, we stopped in San Francisco to stay with Natalie's friend from high school. While there we also connected with someone she knew from elementary school, someone she hadn't seen or talked to in around 17 years. That's one beauty of having a traveler's soul - no matter how little you know someone or long it's been since you've seen someone, there is instantly a mutual understanding and inherent bond. He went out of his way to meet us, bring us pastries from a local bakery, and chat with us about our trip. We spent maybe an hour with him before continuing on our way.

Just yesterday Natalie informed me that the same guy we met is currently on an extended road trip with his friends. He told Natalie that this is something that he'd been thinking about doing for a while, but after listening to our story he was inspired to stop procrastinating and just go. People who continually put off things they want to do, offering the same tired excuses, will never find any color, vitality, or adventure in their lives. Our anti-sedentary lifestyle spurred him in to motion. There's really nothing to say besides how cool is that?

I know that my travels have an endless positive effect on my soul, but I often feel that I should be doing more to help others, something with a higher purpose. While I am ecstatically grateful for my current job, I know I'm meant for something more challenging and influential than serving tables. But knowing that my experiences, in a small way, have already helped another to achieve something in his life, feels pretty good.