There is a drive in me that often makes me feel as if I’m losing my mind.
Alexander Humboldt
Humboldt was known for an intense wanderlust, a desire to travel and absorb the world through first-hand experience. His years of study in Germany made him restless, questionably insane, and hungry. He was more comfortable hiking a mountain than sitting behind a desk, and his adventures left an intense impact on the world he explored.
This quote speaks to me, a hungry soul, though my desire to explore differs greatly from Humboldt’s. My soul and heart are satisfied through exploring the world and humanity… through literature.
As I type this, I’m facing my color-coordinated bookshelf in my 700 square foot apartment. This bookshelf is the focal point of my home, and each tome holds as many memories as a photo album. Books have always been dear friends to me, as a child I dealt with social anxiety and a busy schedule. My parents would oftentimes bring me with them to meetings and events, in the age before smartphones and tablets. A lack of athletic ability and disdain for the heat and bugs of the outdoors left me one option for entertainment: books.
I love experiencing about other’s adventures and escapades without having to leave my bed. I love learning heavy life lessons without going through the growing pains. I love reading, because it expands my horizons when I don’t have the funds or time to travel myself.
Just as Humboldt sought to dig his hands into the soils of South America, I long to add another novel to my bookshelf. Humboldt and I have vastly different lifestyles, but share a common trait:
We collect stories.
Sustaining Me 
Leave a Reply