In Search Of

I find myself thinking a lot about why people went on pilgrimages. What were the motivating factors that drove them to remote regions to seek solitude and isolation? I am reminded of past stories of Saints, monks and mystics of which they sought some sort of transformation. It is the motivating factors for which I ponder.

I can say my pilgrimage is on many levels - creative, spiritual and physical. On my first journey I came with a class, all sharing a single trip with different reasons, and we all walked away with very different realities. This time the trip is being made with just my wife. That other part of me who sees things very differently.

Yet we travel together, as husband and wife, as best friends, and as lovers. In this we shall experience each others pilgrimage with very different perspectives and views. So not only do I make this journey as a person, but as a member of a couple. I look forward to her interpretations of the world around us during this trip.

But what is it I am in search of? I get these snap shots that appear in my mind - pictures already taken from a previous journey - and I keep looking for the right one to sum up my experiences. In that I seek to find that one personable picture, that one snap shot that says it all from my point-of-view. In that journey I will venture down roads of inner depths, reflect on what I have learned, and put into practice what it is I believe.

I had a professor ask me what holes in my life I thought might exist, to which I replied - Creativity. In not having good sight for most my life I had no artistic desire to explore painting or drawing. I focused too much on minute details instead of the abstract shapes and colors in order to cover up the fact I could not see them clearly. It was my bane.

In comes photography, an old high school favorite, mixed in with digital technology and my new cornea and I can be as creative as I want. I can search for the definitive photo or that cascading waterfall or the sunset where the sky seems on fire from the wispy clouds and red colors. I can search for that photo that shows the harshness of humanity along with the glory of accomplishment or the passionate face as one quietly worships.

Perhaps this is why we go on pilgrimages. To see the vast world for what she is worth and to gain by others experiences. To hear the tales of ordinary people's lives and vicariously live through them. To climb that hill top which provides one with a clear view of the valley below displaying clarity of the world around you.

And as I finish up packing, checking gear and adding yet other gear, I sit here quietly thinking of my journey over just the last two years. My studies on Ireland, Russia and Eurasia opening the doors up of a world I had no idea about. The stories of lives in so many regions reflecting common themes of hope, love, and faith. Three components of an inner pilgrimage.

So what is it I am in search of? Perhaps I am just hoping to catch the right shot of a place I love so much while reigniting an old faith. Yep, that sums it up.