Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences - Sylvia Plath
A story is worth a thousand words. Everyday my mind tries to recall all those vivid memories of my journey, that all seem fresh as the words effortlessly flow on my screen. At the beginning, I was scared not to be able to write anything. I'm not even a professional writer, which is actually even better as I am not confined by rules. As Stephen King said, the scariest moment is always just before you start. The dreaded moment when I hopelessly stare at my screen, thinking of what to type. But as soon as I started, I was amazed at how I was able put my mind into writing. Words pouring out naturally, flowing like a river.
They say that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but in reality, there is a fundamental difference between reading and just looking at a picture.
When I travel, I make sure to visit the best of nature, as some can be totally unique in different places. Instead of cities, give me the sea, instead of museums, give me the mountains. Yet, those times I was torn between taking photographs to capture the moment and just being there, enjoying the present. But I just tried to enjoy the moment and not be worried if I will have photos or not. This especially became true when I started to lose some things along the way, including my camera. I was of course, upset, but I didn’t try to fight for it anymore. I learned how to just let go of things. I realized that maybe it was time for me to just focus on enjoying the scenery, nature, and people. This is freedom.
When I didn’t have a camera anymore to capture the picture-perfect moments, I started to have more quality time with nature and in the company of good people. I recorded all those moments in my mind, with adjectives and adverbs, that I can better paint the scene only through writing.
There’s something that amazes me when I write my travel memoirs, the words take me back in time. It’s nice to remember, the hardships, pain, joy, and excitement. All pure and simple. These raw feelings I could perfectly express only through a story worth a thousand words.
Writing is an escape, an antidote to loneliness. As someone whose home has been the road for the past years, the only thing to cure travel nostalgia is to just go through with it. Writing makes me remember the life lessons I have learned, and hopefully, it will also help me arrive at my next destination. Meanwhile, I will enjoy the journey....
I write so I can say what I cannot say. I have to get these stories out of my system and get the messages out there. I feel the need to write what I feel - happy, lonely, angry, or sometimes, even when I'm not feeling anything.
A traveler who can write is someone who pays attention to the moment. Someone who also pays attention to the world.
Writing is also an act of rebellion, it is so powerful that the heroes used the pen to rebel against the rulers, to open the minds of people, to fight for peace and freedom.
When I came back after a few years of traveling, the reality sinks in. Nobody cares and nobody wants to hear those stories. True, because I traveled for myself and not for anyone else. I once asked a friend who remained by my side all these years from a distance, what now? He told me, "write".
I’ve been wanting to write while I was traveling but I guess I was so engrossed in whatever I was doing at the moment, letting the time flies. I was in deep conversations, I was silently communing with nature, and I was out there having the time of my life. I was more attentive to encounters, introductions, and random adventures. As Thoreau said, it would not be enough for me to just sit, I actually have to stand up and live.
Now, I have this immense appetite for writing just as I have an immense appetite for existence. It’s good that I’m finally able to create something out of those travel experiences, that I believe, can be as valuable as photos. Those without short attention span can read what I write, and experience those precious moments through my stories. The past worth looking back on. Soon, I will continue my journey to discover more hidden places worth describing and write those irreplaceable moments.
Home is calling, the road is home.
"the pen is mightier than the sword." And you and you swing it well, sister. i know what you're saying about the present moment versus the camera opp too-it a fine study in memory making and storytelling.
Wow, I love this. Thank you!
Keep writing, please. :) You're really good at it, @diabolika! And I think you'll be surprised at how many people actually do care once they read more of your writing. You've been blessed to be able to travel so much and I hope you get to travel more and tell us more of what you've learned and gift us with more writing. Your mind can capture more beautiful scenes than any camera lens. Upvoted.
Thank you @owenkay. I appreciate you taking the time to read, and also, not a lot of people can do that. I believe most people might feel bored reading my writings. But anyway, I also write for myself.
I'm glad that's the case. If you enjoy your writing, to hell with the rest. Ha ha. Steem on, sister. xD
Thanks!
Thank you for this creative post! Loving your reminder to stay in the moment and to focus on what's important in life. Relationships with your surroundings and the people who you come across along your path are definitely what is most important. Being able to record this journey with words instead of pictures can certainly create a record of memories much better than a picture could ever do. Keep the posts coming!
You're welcome! I agree, words can be more powerful sometimes. :)
Thanks for your kind words.
Excellent article @diabolika and thanks for sharing with us. Being in the moment is priceless and the memories formed in your mind at that time can be even more precious than any camera. Look forward to experiencing more of your precious moments thorugh your stories.
Thank you!
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by diabolika from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
I can agree with you on this .. people are so caught up in their day to day lives.
I know. Thanks.
This post has received a 0.78 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.
I love your last line! It is a sentence that only belongs to certain people and I really see that in your writing that life is on the road because it is where your heart feels at home, where your soul finds others who see your freedom, your reality and your inner light. I lived that life once and I feel different now that I no longer am. In my mind, I am still living that journey through other people's stories. In my mind, the road is simply different and temporary until my daughter grows up. I hope her future will be filled with more of the roads I've crossed in my past.
Thanks for reading as always @anavictoriakong. I hope someday you get to travel with your daughter too, and continue living the dream.
A thousand times yes to every word of this.
Thanks!
Writing is an escape ... It surely brings back all those memories scene by scene for you
plus it helps those who read your post to feel like they had the same journey you had moment by moment
Wow, I'm happy that I get to take you on my journey as well. Thanks!
Beautiful work dear friend @diabolika congratulations, thank you very much for sharing this wonderful material
Have a great weekend
Excellent post! Sometimes I wish I could be more in the moment, but I always have to take pictures, maybe it's because I enjoy looking at the pictures and remind myself those moments and see how I changed
I also enjoy pictures, but I try to spend less time doing it.
Oh gosh, I love this so much. :) You just made me feel that urge to go throw stuff in a back pack and head out the door!
I recently got into photography, something in me loves to try and capture moments that would otherwise go unnoticed.... which is why I don't really tend to take photos of nature and instead go for street photography as a general rule. One of the guys I learned from said, "Always remember, no one gives a shit about your photos."
Ha! It stung! But he was so right - if you are taking photos - or writing or creating in anyway, it should be because of the joy of expression that you feel in the moment. That's the value and beauty of creating. Your post reminded me of this.
Cheers!
Wow, this guy is right. Yeah, I felt the same with my writing, I try to remind myself that I write for myself. If people find some lessons in it for them, then good for them as well.
I hope you go travel soon!
Thanks for your wonderful comment.
Also, have you read anything by Florence Scovel Shinn? Everything she wrote was ALL about how powerful words are. :)
Yep, I feel like when you create for yourself it's much easier to be open and honest about what you're doing.
I hope to go travelling soon too! The last big bit of travelling we did was when we lived in Portugal for a year. It was amazing. You just learn so much about yourself when you travel and get out of your comfort zone.
Alrighty, have a great day. :)