Wanderlust - Maddi's Guest Post

Friends are the best, are they not? They extend a hand when you fall down and support you through and through. Unless you do something stupid. In that case, they tell you that you have you've done something stupid, and in doing so, make you a better person. I am so lucky to have so many amazing friends just like that. Today, I am excited to share with you a post by Maddi, who definitely falls into this category of inspirational, fabulous human beings. Enjoy!

I  think that I’ve heard the quote, “Not all those who wander are lost” at least a thousand times. I even received a throw pillow for my newly decorated bedroom with this exact phrase in cursive lettering for my 14th birthday. Maybe my Aunt just somehow knew that my favorite word is ‘wanderlust’, or maybe that one hike last summer made her think that somehow… just somehow, I needed a quote to remind me of our short expedition. The throw pillow was stored out of sight and out of mind for a couple of days, that is, until I was scrolling through Pinterest as I always do on Sunday mornings before I grasp my mug of hot chai tea. Here, in this database of  creativity, I came across a phrase that sparked remembrance. It was a poem by J.R.R Tolkien that read:

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

My eyes had to have scanned across the screen countless times before my mind registered the quote. Was it truly adventure that the quote entails, or is it something more, hidden beyond a snapshot of a story?

To me, this quotation that now rests on my bed where my eyes skim it before I leave in the morning or fall asleep at night, is a remembrance of  all things that have not yet been defined. All around us, we encounter the good, the bad, and the ugly, but we cannot label this moment until days or even weeks later when we look back and define for ourselves what that moment truly was. Or, it may even mean that those who are strong, and those who are persistent, do not simply disappear, and are not reached by darkness and confinement. And as for Tolkien’s second line, the one that is forever plastered within my mind, the times we spend wandering, wondering, maybe even wasting, is not time spent lost, but instead, is the beginning of an adventure.

Looking back, I often remember times when the present diverged from the past. When things in the moment seemed to be lost, but now that they are in the past, they were only the beginning of a journey. Now I cannot help but to treasure everything that reminds me of my favorite word, or a past summer exploration, which can be difficult at times. However, this past year, especially entering 2018, I have found something that allows me to truly capture timey moments that will one day make up my adventure.

Again, searching on Pinterest for interesting ways to record memories or daily messages, I discover a concept called bullet journaling. It requires one to obtain a journal or notebook of their choice, and record whatever they may find important within their daily life. Bullet journals can hold anything from summer bucket lists to new recipes to diary entries from a special vacation. But possibly most exciting of all, bullet journaling combines treasuring moments and mental health with creativity and inspiration. I especially love to practice my lettering techniques in order to truly personalize the moments of my past. My journal is now engraved with quotes similar to Tolkien’s that spark new meaning within my life. I encourage anyone and everyone to capture the tiny moments, or times you may feel lost, because these memories will one day make up your journey.

And so… the adventure begins.

-Maddi

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash, Photo by Matthew Sleeper on Unsplash