Going to museums helped remind me that I'm fortunate to be born in a time post-war, that I didn't have to go through famine, starvation, racial segregation, etc. The thought of the sufferings humans went through in the past or are going through now brings a lump to my throat. We all have our problems and sufferings, but I think I'm lucky that my sufferings and problems are all insignificant. It's hard to have such a life of leisure and opportunity... Life is so, so fragile and I'm reminded not to waste it.
Sometimes I wonder if I should be writing about my travels. Because it seems frivolous. Travelling is such a luxury so writing about my experience travelling is like writing about one's experience of buying a luxury handbag...? 😅
I realised that I like travelling because it has made me a more open-minded person. Seeing the living conditions of locals, mimicking how/what they eat, what they do, is an experience that has made me understand them better and feel more compassion for them. Learning about their history gives me a better understanding of their perspective, and how it has shaped their society and culture. One can read books and watch movies/dramas but nothing beats experiencing it for oneself!
I always thought that I'm a scenery person just because I find it fun to take pictures of scenery on my travels. Like honestly I have no interest in food. I NEVER plan for food. But I realised why I enjoy places with scenery aka nature... I feel at peace whenever I get away from the city. Being away from all the hustle and bustle gives me a chance to rest, to breathe, to think and contemplate about my priorities in life. It grounds me and gives me a chance to ask myself important questions that I'm usually have no time for. Being away from home, from city life and going to places with nature heals me and gives me more energy to face life.
That said, with global warming and climate change, it saddens me to know that the glaciers I enjoy are melting. These years, the weather around the world has been out of the norm (anomalies are to be expected but with that many, it seems too much of a coincidence). Mother Earth really needs our help. There are many ways to help fight climate change and it all boils down to emitting less greenhouse gases.
Can we as an individual really help though? I'm a big believer that individual actions can make a difference. Doing the small things help, like using energy-efficient electrical appliances, not wasting electrical energy we don't need, etc. But I think the simplest thing we can do to make a huge difference is to eat less. Eat less beef, eat less meat, better yet, go plant-based.
Here's a video that a friend shared with me that gives me hope in fighting climate change. Very happy to see that everyone is trying in their own ways to help protect our planet (from the video's comments) 😄
