Leaving NY

I'm thinking more and more of going away again. I'd like to think it doesn't have everything to do with job dissatisfaction, or not being able to switch jobs either. I love New York but I just don't think I want to be here right now. Everything about making it here has to do with having money, material possessions, etc. I'm beginning to grow bitter of the corporate business world. It just seems so arbitrary. Everything is a business, even those that shouldn't be, like health care or education. Why? So people can live longer lives with more stuff. I'm not immune to it, of course. I have all the comforts of home, and then some. Is there any other way to live in this city? But what I'm talking about isn't returning to some agrarian lifestyle, or becoming an ascetic Buddhist (although those two things do sound appealing idealistically). I just want some kind of REAL experience, outside of my comfort zone.

Why am I like this?! Why can't I just be happy where I am? Why do I always feel the compulsion to go away?

I suppose this is mostly coming from just reading an amazingly inspiring book called, "Vagabonding," by Rolf Potts. It's a guide to long-term travel, but it's more of a philosophy than a proper guide book. Everything in it totally speaks to me. It awakened thoughts and beliefs I already had, but were lying latent. According to Potts, vagabonding is not about taking a vacation or a break from life, or even running away from an unpleasant situation. It's going out and seeing the world, not as a pseudo-hippie backpacker, but as a true traveler who doesn't conform to notions of conventional travel. It's about scaling down to the bare basics and wandering and exploring in a deliberate way. It's about being completely open to new experiences. It's about gaining wealth of time, not material wealth. When you travel all you really possess is time.

Critics of this lifestyle will call it selfish and irresponsible. But I say, how is living my best life (to paraphrase Oprah) any more selfish than those who work their jobs all day only to have money to buy more things...for themselves? Aren't I contributing to society just as much as they are? And who says I even owe society anything anyway?

In any case, it's a great read, especially for skeptics, since I imagine most of who read this book are already converted. But again, this is not a cult or religion. It's simply living.