@HomewithDean – Homily 03/05

There’s a new show on Apple TV that we’re enjoying called, <i>“The Reluctant Traveler.”</i> It’s fun and charming, and if you have the chance I recommend you give it a look. When it comes to travel Tina and I have always committed ourselves to the work of building the kind of life we never feel the need to travel away from. But still, we love to travel because, you know … the world. So we really resonate with these words that are read at the beginning of each episode of The Reluctant Traveler … <i>“The world is a book. And those who do not travel read only one page.”</i> <i> </i> <i>That quote was new to me but it resonated instantly. It also brought to mind another favorite. This one from T.S. Elliot …</i> <i> </i> <i>“We shall not cease from exploration<br />And the end of all our exploring<br />Will be to arrive where we started<br />And know the place for the first time.”</i> <i> </i> Clearly Elliot is talking about something more than traveling physically. Which was always a comfort for a young kid whose family couldn’t afford to go much of anywhere. The simple truth is in this life there are those who explore and those who don’t, and the difference between them has nothing to do with whether you’ve ever been able to afford a bus ticket. The difference is a spiritual thing. Real travelers are pilgrims on a quest—searching for more, searching for life, searching for themselves. <i> </i> So let me pass on the encouragement to travel, to explore, and to never stop. If you can afford a ticket then by all means pack a bag and hop on board. But more important than that, adopt the spirit of a traveler. Make sure you make the most important trips. Travel to the house next door and meet your neighbors. Explore a new skill. Travel the rocky road from hatred to forgiveness. Explore what it means to be you. Travel from the comfort of your own thoughts and live for a while in someone else’s perspective. The world is a great big book on loan to us for just a short time. Read as many pages as you can. Don’t be afra