I have come to love the Box of Daily Experience, and oddly enough (but then again perhaps not), it was travel that helped me do that.
I lived in South Korea for almost 5 years and I admit that part of my reason for moving there was to seek some novelty and change. But while I was over there, and visiting surrounding areas, I discovered that anywhere can be boring. And I mean that in a strangely good way -- there was something comforting to me about seeing the families in South Korea participating in daily mundane activities just like people back in the US and doing those same mundane activities. It made me feel even more alive rather than disenchanted, for whatever reason. It was the "boring" things that happened in the Box of Daily Experience that I remember most and today, back in the US, I love my "Box" for the same beautiful reasons you described here.
I'm not sure how atypical my experience is and I absolutely agree with your argument that travel is no escape from our minds. But perhaps travel or relocating can be a "jump-start" for expanding our minds, if we allow it.
I love this essay and am happy to be reading it here on Substack!
Phenomenal read. I’m thrilled you’re writing on Substack now.
Though, for this piece, I would suggest an alternate title, based on the last part of the post.
“Gratitude is the Cure for the Mind”
Thank you for reading!
I have come to love the Box of Daily Experience, and oddly enough (but then again perhaps not), it was travel that helped me do that.
I lived in South Korea for almost 5 years and I admit that part of my reason for moving there was to seek some novelty and change. But while I was over there, and visiting surrounding areas, I discovered that anywhere can be boring. And I mean that in a strangely good way -- there was something comforting to me about seeing the families in South Korea participating in daily mundane activities just like people back in the US and doing those same mundane activities. It made me feel even more alive rather than disenchanted, for whatever reason. It was the "boring" things that happened in the Box of Daily Experience that I remember most and today, back in the US, I love my "Box" for the same beautiful reasons you described here.
I'm not sure how atypical my experience is and I absolutely agree with your argument that travel is no escape from our minds. But perhaps travel or relocating can be a "jump-start" for expanding our minds, if we allow it.
I love this essay and am happy to be reading it here on Substack!