Reise, Reise

Spring is coming. Wonderful, wonderful spring. I can't wait to see the first blades of grass and tiny beginnings of tree leaves. The strange light phenomenon known as the sun has been sighted a lot more recently and the days have been getting longer.

This has had a strong influence on my mood. No more Little Miss Cranky, sulking about everything and feeling slightly depressed all the time. It's time for Miss Almost Cheerful to make her entrance and pave the road for Miss Summertime. Only about a month of winter left, and I can't wait it to be over. I mean, winter is so last season.

Another good indication that the season is chancing is my ever-growing desire to travel. Prague, Paris, London, Berlin - I want to see them all. Now all I have to do to fulfill my need is to learn how to siphon nutrition out of air and convince my landlord that he really does not need my money. Simple, really.

This happens to me every year.

And every year I always wonder what makes us want to travel. Why do we want to leave the comfort of our home and the familiar ways of living and surroundings? To get new experiences, say some. But why do we need to get them? Do they make our life better in any way? Are we on our way to enlightenment when we travel to strange places and meet new, interesting people? Or do we just want to make our friends and family jealous with our exciting stories of parts unknown?

My theory is that humanity functions on hope. We have to go through the trouble of traveling into new places because, who knows, the grass just might be greener on the other side of the fence. The medieval pilgrims made their way through the Europe on horseback and foot because they had hope that all their sins would be forgiven. The explorers of this planet had hope of finding a paradise on earth, preferably via a shortcut. Hope has always been one of the biggest reasons for traveling, be that hope for easier living, for wealth and fame, or for absolution either from a heavenly or earthly authority.

We are a curious species. We need to find out what makes the world tick, what lies behind the horizon and how we could benefit from it. Like Terry Pratchett once wrote, the last words heard before the universe folds on itself are, "What happens if I press this?"

With my high school education on psychology I can easily draw parallels with curiosity and hope. The desire to find new thigs / experiences / whatever is fed by the equally great desire to make life worth the trouble. Without curiosity, what are we? Life becomes mere existence. Ich hab' keine Lust, like Rammstein so cleverly put it.

Oh well. I have no money to travel, so I have to at least think about it.


Time for the link.
http://www.theforce.net/

If I can't travel in real life, at least i have my imagination. So, go to the ForceNet for your daily dose of Star Wars!

@ those who have commented: Thank you. I blush...

(the headline is shamelessly ripped off of Rammsteins latest album)