If it’s our habit to listen to the radio or engage with other means of communication, we gather news of our domain. The weather report is often innocuous ,the traffic updates are too. There are seamless streams of information that we ingest with our minds while making adjustments for the actions of the day, but then comes the news and it is rarely good. We hear of death and destruction.

But we go on anyway, performing the daily duties that define us.  We are motivated by thoughts of our family, our friends, our wants and our needs. We accomplish the multitude of tasks required of us.

We are perhaps the only living beings who are consciously aware of our vulnerability and mortality, yet we carry on.

We are a tenacious breed.

Virginia Woolf discussed the desire, both literally and metaphorically, for a room of one’s own almost one hundred years ago. Yet, it seems that the desire for such can still be deemed odd or novel.

While in college I yearned for an off-campus living arrangement. As soon as I was permitted, in my sophomore year, I found a place. There were four of us sharing the apartment. Although each of us had our own room, the common areas were perpetually used for impromptu social gatherings, and the television was usually on. I woke up at 5 a.m. to study, an hour when everyone else slept, and focus on my work. I also sought the individual cubicles at the library for my evening study hours.

I found communal living pleasant enough, but ultimately not convenient nor satisfying. When I mentioned to friends that I might prefer living alone, they disagreed and assured me that I would be lonely. In any case, my limited budget placed the idea out of my reach. I settled into an arrangement that insured my scholastic success, but the gnawing desire to live alone continued.

Some years later my career finally afforded me the funds to have an apartment of my own. I recall closing the door for the first time and leaving the outside world behind me. I knew even then that I was not going to be lonely after all.

What entices some of us to travel? We may not know the answer, but we do know who we are. However, some of us rarely or never travel because we lack someone to go with.

There are always group tours, but for those wishing for a different experience the options may seem daunting. My suggestion to you is go anyway. Perhaps Paris, Venice, or London has always been on your wish list? So many renown cities are accustomed to tourists, making your choice of activities plentiful and relatively easy to manage. Many offer inexpensive walking tours which are a great way to see interesting places and to meet fellow travelers. You might consider enrolling in a week long cooking, language, or art class. In fact the list is endless and can be tailored to anyone’s preferences.

If the quiet countryside is closer to your heart there are countless activities to find there too. Maybe finding a peaceful place to do some reading or writing, or taking some strolls is all you are looking for. There are beautiful oases throughout the lands.

If your budget and/or free time is requiring you to stay closer to home, do not fret. Contact a tourism office or chamber of commerce and discover the local treasures you have overlooked before.

Do not let the usual excuses hinder your desires. The world is almost at our fingertips. Accommodations, activities, and transportation can all be investigated with ease.

If you were born to travel, you know who you are.