Travel Is One of Our Greatest Teachers

Some of the most important lessons in my life didn’t come from a classroom or working in a corporate environment...they came from travel.

Travel teaches us through moments both big and small, by standing in unfamiliar landscapes that quietly shift our sense of scale, and by listening in communities that see the world differently than we do. It teaches us around shared tables as well, through meals, mangled languages, laughter, and the realization that when we slow down and pay attention, learning is everywhere.

Travel, whether across the world or within our own country, has a way of loosening certainty. It reminds us that our way is a way, not the way. When we travel well, we listen more than we speak. We ask better questions. We discover that communities shape people, and that understanding grows through conversation, not commentary.  In a time when the world feels increasingly divided, travel quietly teaches empathy, curiosity, and respect. Qualities we could all use more of.

Many of the reflections in my book, Where The Trails Lead were shaped by these journeys, across mountains, into new communities, and toward a deeper understanding of leadership, perspective, and self. The attached photo was taken on the trails leading up to Mount Aconcagua, with our gaucho, Jorges. 

If you’re drawn to the idea that the trail can be a teacher, you might enjoy the journey this book invites. The book is available on Amazon and Indigo, as well as Happenstance Books & Yarn in Lakefield, Ontario. https://lnkd.in/e94Zcyqv