Personal Philosophy #9: Why I Love Getting Lost

I am always lost. I am lost even as I write this. I don’t really know where I will be headed but I trust that I will have it figured out. You see, I don’t hate being lost. I actually love it.

I’ve learned to figure things out fast. Maybe it's my ENFP personality, but I never really have a clear plan. And with my haywire way of approaching life, there are many instances where I need to figure out on the spot where to go from there.

I used to require structure in life. The Asian education system I grew up in did not allow otherwise. There was little time for me to get lost in what I loved or even what I was studying at the moment. There was only time for what was on the syllabus. There was even a point in elementary school where I thought having the time to even watch a movie after school was a luxury. I envied the American students on TV for the time they had to be themselves.

I moved to Canada at 15 and while high school was tough, it was much better than whatever the Asian education system had to offer. Maybe it was the different priorities, or maybe it was the fact that my parents were on the other side of the globe, but I had more time to be myself.

I gave myself more time to get lost. Whether its to daydream about the different ways the world could end, or just to walk for hours down an unknown path. There were days where I would even leave the house way earlier than necessary, just so I can give myself time to let myself explore.

I found so many beautiful things while lost. I found beautiful parks, tiny stores, and new restaurants. Some I’ve been back many times, others, however, are lost somewhere in the back off my mind. Maybe one day, as I continue my journey, getting lost in another journey, I’ll be able to find it once again.

Its always about the journey. I may not always reach the destination I want, but its always the destination I need.