Wherever You Go, There You Are…But, Not Really

Are you familiar with the quote “Wherever you go, there you are”?

Even though the origins of this quote are murky, it’s a popular saying that is spoken with regularity, often to those who see travel as a cure to their problems.

Travel is fun and transformative.

But, it’s true; wherever you go, there you are.

You tend to bring your baggage with you, no matter where you go.

And yet, at the same time, that isn’t entirely true.

Rather, new environments can reveal new possibilities.

Even more than that, new environments can unveil new possibilities within ourselves.

Some of these possibilities may be what we are looking for, in life, as well as possibilities that relate to the person we wish to become.

To illustrate this, and expand on this, there’s a story, and brief thesis, below.

I must warn you, though, that this isn’t one of my best pieces.

Rather, this is, in essence, a compilation of disjointed thoughts and ideas.

My hope is that you find value in this. But, if you don’t, that’s understandable.

A Brief Story

My homeschooling experience began in October of 2015.

I’m pretty sure it was late October but, really, I’ve forgotten.

During this time, reading and writing were my primary focuses.

I read a lot and wrote a lot.

Reading opened my mind to the infinite paths available to me.

To the infinite paths and possibilities and opportunities — and so on and so forth — that, without reading, may still exist in an inaccessible, and invisible, state of being.

Writing gave me the ability to engage with what was being read and experienced.

The two went hand-in-hand, allowing me to learn, to communicate what was being learned, to create new insights, to develop my inner world; and so on and so forth.

All of this was valuable.

Even so, though, my homeschooling experience ended in August of 2017.

Right when my Senior Year of High School began.

During my homeschooling experience, there was little in the way of social interaction, on my part, and, in the end, much of my time was spent indoors, reading or writing.

None of this was bad, per se, but this environment was far from ideal.

Rather than engaging with the world in a hands-on manner — making friends, walking around, seeing new places, learning from new people — there was just me and my books and my laptop.

The environment — my home — was peaceful and nurturing and supportive and creative.

Even so, though, the needs of this environment, as well as my existence within it, was not particularly conducive to the paths and possibilities that were desired.

Some of these paths and possibilities included:

• Making New Friends
• Meeting New People
• Traveling
• Seeing New Things
• Visiting New Places
• Beginning A Romantic Relationship
• Seeing More Of The City

And so on and so forth…

For this reason, my Senior Year of High School was spent at a traditional school — well, to some extent, as this school was smaller, and a lot nicer, than most — rather than a homeschool.

Soon after arriving at this school, and going there every single day during the week, a number of nice things started happening.

Some of these things include, but were certainly not limited to:

• Making New Friends
• Learning About New Ideas
• Finding New Passions
• Seeing More Of The City
• Learning How To Ride The Bus
• Entering A Romantic Relationship
• Becoming A Better Writer

And so on and so forth…

For, this new school was a new environment that, unlike my home, was conducive to making new friends and engaging with new people and learning about new ideas.

Rather than staying within my home — a vast, creative space, in so many ways — with its limited set of possibilities and paths, going to school thrust me into a new set of possibilities.

Each one of these possibilities was nurtured by the environment.

Or, rather, by the qualities and traits of the environment, such as:

• Classrooms With Multiple People
• A Variety Of Subjects Being Taught
• Multiple Classes With Different People In Each One
• A Cafeteria With Lots Of People

And so on and so forth…

Each one of these qualities and traits served to facilitate an abundance of new paths and possibilities that, without being in this environment, may not have been available to me.

A Minor Thesis

No matter where we go, there we are.

This is true.

But, at the same time, environments can, and often do, shape us.

Or, at least, to some extent.

Rather, environments facilitate possibilities.

Possibilities that allow for new skills and traits and facets of ourselves to develop.

Or, perhaps, to reveal themselves.

Some of these might be our own “Social Self” — a vague, nebulous term that describes something you are intimately familiar with — or, perhaps, new friendships that give rise to new interests.

Some other environments facilitate possibilities that, like my homeschool, give rise to new skills and qualities, such as a richer, more abundant inner self and writing abilities.

And so on and so forth…

Really, the possibilities are endless, for every environment possesses its own unique qualities and traits, all of which can facilitate an infinite number of new possibilities.

To step into these new environments — and, to surrender to this environment, to allow this environment to reveal new, beautiful qualities within you and possibilities for you — is a creative act that must, by its very nature, bring forth transformations.

For you to become who you wish to be, or to live the life you wish to live, stepping into a new environment may, in the end, be the best choice you can make.

Sure, wherever you go, there you are.

But, “you” are flexible and vast and creative and limitless — among so many other descriptors — which means that you can be exactly who you wish to be.

And, sometimes, the best way to do that, is to put yourself in a place where that’s a little easier.

Conclusion

I’m sorry this really isn’t my best work. Or even close to it, for that matter.

Regardless of that, though, my hope is that you found value in some of these ideas and, most important of all, you find value in applying them.

As always, if you wish to reach me, you can do so at “maxwellcakin@gmail.com”.

Best wishes, and have a lovely day!