I used to think, unequivocally, that everyone should travel.  I would have said, “Go! Travel! See! Feel!” to anyone who would listen.

But then I came across a children’s book called Toot and Puddle. It’s the story of two pigs who are best friends; Toot loves to travel, and Puddle loves to stay home. The story is told through postcards – Toot thinks Puddle is missing out on all his adventures, but meanwhile, Puddle is having a great ol’ time at home.

The story made me think about how, sometimes, it is hard for the ‘Toots’ and ‘Puddles’ of the world to understand each other.

Maybe there is something inherently threatening about two people having different values on the same topic (i.e. one person claims to be uninterested in travel, another claims to love it). Both parties likely want to protect the validity of their position.

Or maybe ‘Toot and Puddle’ represent a spectrum, and we all fall somewhere along it carrying both values inside of us? This could lead to experiencing some tension as we can’t be both “home” and “away” at the same time?

As for me, I want to explore the world and experience new places, but I also crave a home to come home to, and a community that grounds me somewhere.

I feel like traveling rips my insides open, but home puts the pieces back together, and both are important.

Thailand