The picture is of a mosaic, on the ceiling of the Mausoleo de Gallo Placidia, in Ravenna, Italy. It’s one of 8 UNESCO world heritage sites in Ravenna.
In previous post, I mentioned something about how I think travel can cultivate a capacity for courage. I suspect courage is something that can grow with exercise and practice. I also suspect courage can’t be exercised in the absence of some kind of fear or challenge.
I re-watched Brene Brown’s TED talk on vulnerability before writing this post. It was, and still is an inspiration. In that talk, she shares some insight that I think is pretty valuable. The basic premise of the talk, is that “wholehearted” people, ie people who have a sense of worthiness and can seek and find connection, have the characteristics of courage, compassion, connection, and vulnerability. I won’t get into the talk more than that- it’s … important, I think, so if you haven’t seen it, take a look.
Regarding courage, she explains that the word is from “cour,” the latin word for heart, and the original meaning is to tell the story of who your are with your whole heart. So there’s that- it’s pretty much synonymous with vulnerability and authenticity for our purposes here.
Later in the talk, she also explains a few things about control and certainty. First, she mentions that research and the practice of science is essentially about control and prediction. Second, among other things, she mentions that one of the ways, among many, that we tend to reject vulnerability, (and thereby real connection,) is with a reliance on certainty.
Generally, I think substantial aspects of my past could be described as a relatively successful exercise in control, prediction, and certainty- (generally out of a fear of failure/rejection, but ultimately about unworthiness.)
OK. so to get the point. In my previously normal life, things are pretty much under control, predictable, and for the most part outcomes can be pretty certain. They were designed to be this way. There’s not much room for real risk or challenge. Which is where this kind of travel comes in. By leaving the predictable/controlled environment, I think I’m trying to manufacture some conditions that reduce the amount of control and certainty that I have… and provide some context to exercise courage in ways that would not be possible in back in the status quo. We’ll see what happens…
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