FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH TRAVEL
By Savannah Grace
Mt Everest at sunrise
Freedom means many things to different people, to most it means the Fourth of July, thinking in terms of countries and citizens. I want to share with you today the story of somebody who was in “prison” and through travel earned their personal freedom that is so necessary and life giving to an individual.
Now, I’m not talking about freedom to travel or freedom to vote, I’m talking about the most intense and important freedom; personal freedom. Freedom to move your body, make your own choices, to chart your own life. A lot of people don’t have it, don’t even know what it looks like. But I have seen it. I’ve witnessed a person who lived without it for decades and I also saw that same person lay claim to their freedom and take it back.
FREEDOM, bungee jump South Africa
She lived in a type of prison with no time for friends or time for herself. She played the game, did the books, paid the bills, spending most of her time on business calls, caring for the family and making ends meet, doing whatever necessary to put food on the table. From the outside it appeared she had it all but she didn’t have freedom. The home, the cars, the pool, the children, all the trappings the middle class aspires to, meant nothing without it. She was stuck, handcuffed in an empty relationship where her personal freedom could never be realized.
Happiness after losing it all, Mali
The price for freedom was Everything; divorce, giving up career, cars, belongings, pets and even her home.
Banff, Canada
Once she was free of material belongings, she made a choice. That choice was to hit the road and travel until she was whole again.
Discovering the largest flowers in the world in Borneo
Country by country, layers of life’s worst traumas, worries and stresses were shed like clothing as she moved over not only physical but emotional borders that had defined her life. Passing through the borders of remote countries, they stripped her of her old selves, exposing her individual strengths, loves, desires. The defining moment for her was trekking to the top of Kala Patthar, 18,505 feet above sea level and gazing out at Mt. Everest. The final weights had been shed.
Reaching the top! Everest Base Camp, Nepaxl
With marriage, physical and business distress no longer suffocating her, she had found completeness and immeasurable freedom high up in the Himalayan mountains. As tears turned to ice on her cheeks, she listened through earphones to Josh Groban sing “You Raise Me Up”.
Mother-Daughter in Slovakia
Most of you reading this do not know who she is. Those who know me and have followed my story of four amazing years through 80 healing countries will recognize her as my mother.
Maggie The Mom
An inspired daughter,
Savannah Grace
PS. What does freedom mean to you and have you found yours? Do you know someone who claimed back their freedom? Come share your story and listen to others on our live Twitter chat “The Road Less Travelled” live today from 1pmNYC/6pmUK. Search the hashtag #TRLT to find us and don’t forget to include the hashtag #TRLT in your tweets to participate with fellow travellers! You can find me each and every week hosting with my fellow travellers Shane Dallas (public speaker, visited 100+ countries), Jessica Lipowski (accomplished author and “foodie”) and Anton Magnin (specialist in family travel).
Next week I’ll be describing one of the most BUSY PLACES I’ve ever been!
