A Magical World

I'm outta here.

For those of you who may not know, I am leaving the country tomorrow. I will not be back for a good long time. Well over a year. On this trip I plan to see most or all of the continent of Europe. I will see sights, taste delicacies, meet interesting people, learn languages, drink heavily, and give the finger to pretty much everything in sight, figuratively and literally.

All of this, I know, is pretty odd.

It seems appropriate that, since I am leaving behind pretty much everything and everyone I care about, I need a vehicle by which I might stay in touch with those I love and keep them informed of my progress through this fool's journey. It is in that light that I present to you my travel blog: "Where in the World is Will?"

This will differ from most other blogs, including my own, in a number of ways. One, it will be entertaining. Two, I will update it often (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, if possible). Three, it will be a completely open and honest record of my time abroad. This is both for my own spiritual health and to keep you people interested enough to keep coming back. If you see or suspect that I have failed in any of these things, please do not hesitate to let me know (privately; the comments page is not an opportunity to explore the joys of public flogging).

The vast majority of the entries in this record will be quite humorous. However, I have a number of things about the trip that I need to get off my chest, and I feel like we'll all be better off if I say them all at once, right up front. Please bear with me.

I have, like many people, often thought about various places and things and wanted to experience them. I hear about the Autobahn and want to speed down it in a BMW blasting bad techno. I see the Winter Olympics and want to try my hand skiing in the Alps. I read about Swedish Midsummer reveling and want to join in the commotion. We all do it, this kind of fantasizing.

I refuse to sit back and live my life without exploring these things. I simply cannot do it in good conscience, and I have trouble fathoming the mind that forms a desire, has the means to achieve it, and will not take the leap to do so.

When asked about why I am doing this, as I often am, my most frequent response is "Because I can." More often than not, people are taken aback by this. Why? I am not anyone special. I am not particularly wealthy or lucky or even good with money. What I am is dedicated. I do not buy drinks in bars. I do not own a video game system. I do not own a car. Not because I cannot afford to, but because when I look at the Playstation that I would love to have, I think about whether I would rather have that, or an extra week in Europe. It's the same price. What do you spend your money on?

There is something... out there. Out THERE, in the great big wide world. I do not know what it is, but I know that I have to find it, and I know that I will not find it at home. Call it life or happiness or enlightenment or whatever you want. All I know is that I need to learn it, and I need to start soon, before my body is too weak and my spirit too settled to look for it. I have caught glimpses of it before, in the greatest and in the least of all places, and I yearn to see it again.

Make no mistake; this present sojurn is not my one-stop shop for inner-peace. It is the first leg on what I hope will be a lifelong journey around the world and into the hearts of many. If you are reading this, it is because you have been one of the many who has touched my life and help make it what it is. I hope that I have done the same for you. And I hope you will enjoy being along for the ride on this, the most dynamic of roads.

A very dear friend of mine asked me if this trip is in some way born out of my fear of growing up. The answer? Absolutely. I fear being still and sober for longer than a day. I fear growing slow and dull. And I fear the increasing difficulty of feeling the wind in my hair and of saying 'yes' to something that most would say 'no' to. In these things, I am proud to be a child at heart, and may maturity be damned for all of it.

Only a few hours ago I was in a discussion of this childlike spirit that lead to one of our favorite comic strips, one that is beloved by millions and that has reflected and characterized my thoughts of childhood probably more than any other. In the midst of our reminiscing, we recalled the last strip that the comic's creator wrote before retirement. The last lines, in fact, that he wrote, that may better sum up my feelings on life than any other. He said it well. If I could offer one thought before I leave my home to help you understand, it would be this, the last words of Bill Waterson's iconic Calvin:

"It's a magical world, ol' buddy. Let's go exploring."




it's time to try defying gravity
-wicked