Year 4, Day 315

My travels continue unabated.  I had thought that in time I might reach the end, and feel that I had seen all there was to see.  In fact the opposite has been true; the more I see the more I am drawn to exploring.  There are still places I have yet to visit, and more that I have passed through quickly en route to some more pressing task.  I find that each time I stop and truly look, I find new wonders and mysteries even in familiar places. 

I have grown to love these lands, and feel at home here.  From the blades of grass in the central plains, to the intricate wood paneling of the archives, to the waves beating on the coast of Golemus, every part of the world has its own story to tell.  I could spend hours lying in the grass watching the clouds go by, or curled up in a cozy nook out of the rain, or leaning on the Maple gazing out over the valley below. 

I will continue to wander the paths of the realm, seeing all that my eyes can take in. The lands are as a living being; there are changes almost every day when I take the time to notice.  I will stop to smell the scent of the fresh dirt; to feel the texture of the rocks against my skin; to speak to the trees as they grow. I will watch the cattails waving over the lake, and marvel as the architecture in the East unfolds before my eyes.  I will learn what I can about the lands, and accept gratefully the gifts they give me. And should there ever come an opportunity to give back, I will be ready.

This world is a fascinating place.  So much to see, to do, to learn.  So many mysteries.  My questions bubble up like water from an underground spring when it is first released to meet the sun.  Like a child I find myself wondering constantly how the world works, and why it works the way that it does, and how best to interact with it.  I learned in those early days that the answers that I discovered myself were the most reliable, the best understood, the most valued.

So I set out upon my explorations, to learn what there is to know about the world around me.  To travel its far reaches, its highest peaks and its deepest caverns.  I must be sure to record my observations, and note the patterns I observe, in hopes of fitting the pieces of the world together.  Some patterns can be found in single objects, if viewed from the right angle.  Others are as large as the world itself. 

Truth be told, my travels are not only a quest for answers.  I wander for my own amusement as well.  I take pleasure in seeing the possibilities spread before me, without knowing where the pathways lead.  I find joy in each new discovery, even as the larger mysteries are still unfolding.   Life is about journeys as well as destinations.

And yet if I spend all of my days wandering, I may miss out on much of what this world has to offer.  I must make time to stop, now and then, to smell the flowers.  To savor the shade of a tree, or lie in the grass and watch the clouds go by.  To speak with fellow travelers, and to listen.   People are full of mysteries too, even those who don’t realize it. People are also full of knowledge, and sometimes many minds working together can reach places I alone cannot. Sometimes information shared can expand my opportunities for growth, not limit them.  The balance between self-discovery and interdependence is one I am still striving to achieve.

And what will I find at the end of my travels?   Some answers, I am sure.  No doubt those answers will lead to still more questions.  But I will be a different person than I am today, one who is richer for the experiences I have had.  And I will strive to appreciate the knowledge I have gained and friends I have made along the way.

“We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”  T.S. Eliot