My wife came across this piece the other day and I had to share it with you, although it loses some in translation from the original Italian. It's by poet, singer-songwriter and adventurer Gio Evan and reminds me of a favorite Mark Twain quote (which you can read here). As we begin dreaming and planning the adventures we hope to resume in 2022, it's particularly a propos:
Travel
Otherwise you may become racist
and you may end up believing
that your skin is the only one
to be right
that your language
is the most romantic
and that you were the first
to be the first
Travel
because if you don't travel then
your thoughts won’t be strengthened
won’t get filled with ideas
Your dreams will be born with fragile legs
and then you end up believing in tv-shows
and in those who invent enemies
that fit perfectly with your nightmares
to make you live in terror
Travel
because travel teaches you
to say good morning to everyone
regardless of which sun we come from
Travel
because travel teaches you
to say goodnight to everyone
regardless of the darkness
that we carry inside
Travel
because traveling teaches to resist
not to depend
to accept others, not just for who they are
but also for what they can never be
To know what we are capable of
to feel part of a family
beyond borders
beyond traditions and culture
Traveling teaches us to be beyond
Travel
otherwise you end up believing
that you are made only for a panorama
while inside you
there are wonderful landscapes
still to visit
- Gio Evan
You can listen to Gio speaking this (in fast but beautiful Italian) set to music here. And here's his website, also in Italian.
Have a great week, and travel whenever and wherever you can.
