I travel to see the world
Not the all-encompassing, overwhelming, unfathomable Earth kinda world
but the everyday world

I travel to step into shoes
to feel how the sidewalks slope, roads curve and sand slips between the toes
to live the nuances

I travel to take a breath, to breathe
clearer air, dustier air, sea air
to inhale deeply, intentionally

I travel because there is only so much that can be imagined
Empathy and understanding are not born from books but from experience
Tasted fresh, heard live, seen up close, felt in flesh

And every time I travel I always bring home
A better version of me