On restlessness: How I've always had a sense of wanderlust and discovery

Restlessness is something I have experienced in some form or another since I was a toddler. I’d want to discover, to go, and to know - before that discovery had even ended - what was coming next. My mom would try to instill patience in me, to teach me to be in the moment and not to ask what’s next. But there was always an impetus, a momentum that pulled me along. When we traveled as a family, I never wanted to return home. I loved my home, but I loved being away. I would ask my mom whether we could call our hotel or villa “home” during our stay. She would humor me, but remind me that we were only traveling.

I could not understand friends who didn’t want to travel or why kids I knew didn’t throw a fit when it came time to leave. In my teens, I discovered Italy (though I am convinced that that discovery had been made in my soul somehow already!) and it got way worse. I was never homesick while away, yet always homesick as soon as I landed back in town. I would burst into tears when my family would meet me at the gate. It made them feel awful!

I moved to Europe for my studies and my scientific research, and there travelling became a routine, an addiction. The restlessness grew. It became a deep part of my identity and my happiness. I loved it when friends could not keep track of me online. "Where are you now?", they would ask, "Are you back in town?". 

As I grew older, life happened. Periods between travels got slightly longer even though I still made a point of going - somewhere, anywhere - a few times a year. But, I also began to learn to appreciate home, quietude, balance and, to a certain extent, routine.

​The restlessness and spontaneity is still in me. And Veni Etiam gives me a great excuse to keep it alive.

Are you a restless traveler too? Do you get antsy when you haven't packed a bag in a while? Leave me a comment below. I love to hear from you!