I've been single for most of my life, and when you've been single as long as I have, you pretty much know how to do the single life. I can eat out by myself without feeling awkward, I'm an awesome third-wheel, and I'm perfectly content on being single (about 6 out of 7 days a week). One thing I had never done though, was to just pick up and go on vacation and make all of my own plans. Until this year.
This year I started out with a journey to London. It was completely spontaneous, like I decided to go on Tuesday and my flight left Friday night. Now, I'm not as brave as some to just go somewhere by myself without having somewhere to stay. Thankfully, I had great friends that let me stay with them on a moments notice (which is also the only reason I could afford the trip) and I love them for that. It was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time.
I was so happy to spend time with my friends, but then they had to go to work and I had to figure out my days in a city I did not know. So I picked some spots, figured out my path on the tube and roads, and just went. It was so exhilarating! Just walking somewhere, not knowing if you will get lost or not, but just walking. The best part was, if I did get lost, I would just find a map and figure out my way. I always made it to where I was heading and I was able to go as fast or slow as I wanted, and just walk. It was one of the most relaxing vacations I'd ever taken, and I kept busy the whole time exploring and walking.
The best revelation of the trip was though, is that I can do this! I can do this single life stuff! A part of me already knew that, but to actually go about and do it, just gives you that extra proof that all of us need. This single life can get discouraging, it can get lonely, and most of all just plain frustrating ("Where are you spouse?!"), but one thing it's not, is it's not impossible. We can do this! We can walk through foreign cities and not get lost, we can travel hours on our own, we can stay in hotels by ourselves without crying ourselves to sleep, we can go to weddings and be the only single person there and still have fun! We can do this!
I am the Single Traveler, just like many hundreds/thousands of others out there. I can travel on my own and come out just fine, if not better. I do pray for the day where I will have that special gentleman with me to make those memories and explore new things with me, but until then, I am that Single Traveler that can continue to explore and live this life God has given me. There is too much out there to see and experience for me to miss it just because I'm single. So I encourage you to be a Single Traveler. Explore, create and experience life, because there is so much of it out there. Take a friend with you or even stay with friends when you can, but never let your singleness get in the way of experiencing God's great Earth.
