I sometimes laugh to myself when I hear people say certain geographical regions are more or less appealing when it comes to available activities. I remember hearing a striking question some time ago, “Are you a thermostat, or a thermometer?” Granted, I’m not saying that a person isn't entitled to prefer one place over another, but instead intend to address that small group of people (and I’m sure none of my readers would be included) who always talk about how their current locations have absolutely nothing to do. REALLY?!!! NOTHING?!!!
I could go to New York, Chicago, or L.A. and find people who are so overcome with activity, they would give just about anything to escape to the slower paced lifestyle of a place like Omaha, Nebraska…and the case could be the same for someone from Omaha going to any major city I could name off the top of my head (although I do understand the likelihood may not be as high…but you get my point, right?). In Conduct of Life, Ralph Waldo Emerson proposes his own thoughts on the subject, with which I, for the most part, tend to agree. “…I observe that men run away to other countries, because they are not good in their own, and run back to their own, because they pass for nothing in the new places.” You can’t run away from yourself, and for all those discontent people out there…wherever you go, there’s always one constant. YOU. So, tell me…are you making life happen, or are you waiting for life to happen to you?
I think its interesting that you quote Emerson. He has a lot of thoughts throughout his writings on the subject of travel. I remember in his essay Nature he said something along the lines of how traveling is foolish because all that most people do when they travel is the same thing they'd do at home. Its really just different scenery.
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