Saint Augustine once said that “the world is a book and those who do not travel have read only one page.” In recent years this has been a motto of mine as travel has become a vital part of my life. I used to have a crippling fear of even leaving my home state of New Jersey. I was afraid of the world and what could potentially happen to me. My fearful young mind was consumed by terrifying news stories and online hoaxes. But as I matured and began high school, I realized that I may be missing out when I saw all the vacations my friends took. However, I still managed to convince myself that I was safer and better off staying home. 

It was not until I saw this quote by Saint Augustine that I knew I was missing out and I needed to face my fear. I made it my goal to read every page of the “book” Saint Augustine spoke of. In an attempt to start my journey as a newbie traveler, I asked my aunt if I could tag along in 2020 for her annual cross-country trip. One long packing list and a few freakouts later there I was in Honda CRV with each seat taken by a hopeful traveler or piles of luggage. 

I found a new definition of freedom in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. With each state, I became more at ease and by the time the trip was over I couldn’t even remember what I was so worried about. I saw new places such as Niagara Falls and Mammoth Cave National Park. I had new experiences while I hiked for miles on end. After turning a few brief pages of travel, I was hooked on the book of the world.

This year, I was ready for the biggest trip I would ever take. My aunt and I planned for months to make our next trip something unforgettable. This time we planned for fifteen states instead of seven, an extremely ambitious number. We traveled to the other side of the country and stopped in famous natural landmarks all across America. A moose outside my tent door in Wyoming, a very flat tire in the middle of South Dakota, and dancing in the forests of Yellowstone were all key pages in the many chapters of my book. I’m so glad I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and explore the vast world around me. The earth is full of beautiful people, places, and things, and each is a new page I will read over and over again for years to come. I don’t know what I would’ve done had I not opened that book at all.

November 2023