As summer approaches, many we begin to craft plans for our escapes, each person envisioning something different: perhaps fishing in the mountains, watching baseball in every MLB park, or just meandering through Europe buying cheese.

But what drives this desire?

Travel, in its essence, divides time into the period before the journey and the period after, momentarily masking the inevitability of our mortality. It does so cunningly, offering a glimpse into this reality. We often prefer not to dwell on the certainty that one day we will cease to exist, allowing ourselves to contemplate it only when disguised within a narrative of exploration and growth: we are experiencing, connecting, transforming, and documenting these moments with trinkets and photos. We must be living,

Consider the impact on your life if you were told that you could never travel again.

For those not planning a significant life change, this realization can be This realization can be paralyzing, framing life as a series of mundane moments leading to an inevitable conclusion. But, it’s important to recognize that this perspective is overly simplistic. Life’s richness and meaning are not just derived from grand adventures or dramatic changes… they are found in the everyday moments, the connections we forge, and the impact we have on others. While travel and new experiences can offer a temporary escape from this existential dread, true fulfillment comes from embracing the full spectrum of human experience, both the extraordinary and the ordinary.

So, go ahead and travel. But enjoy scrambled eggs and sourdough toast at the kitchen table with a loved one on a Tuesday morning,  just the same.