A Fear of the Unknown (Week 7)

I wake up from my mildly comfortable seat and scroll through the news on my phone. "After a string of failures, former start-up CEO hits the road to find himself again" (Mekhi's character). This made me think about the power of traveling and what it can do for the human soul. Hopefully, this man can find peace. Today's book, as recommended by my girlfriend who loves Steinbeck, is Travels With Charley. I may have briefly pondered what travel can do for the human soul, but Steinbeck does his best to dissect it. His account is full of humor, punchy one-liners of wisdom, and most importantly, truths that must be spoken aloud regardless of the trouble they might bring. One of these truths is the fear of the unknown. Steinbeck finds himself scared of things he knows do not exist but that intimidate him anyway. He tries to reason that the fright is not worth his time but it grips him nonetheless. As I move to a new city, try to start a new life with an old friend, and pursue a new career, the amount of unknowns in my life have never been higher. I  have every reason to be overcome with optimism, but all I can see when night falls is a large question mark. Only the morning provides clarity as I look over this new horizon in my life. My eldest relatives always said, "God has a plan". Steinbeck has reminded me that I am in his hands and not my own. In my own, the uncertainty is too great. With this revelation, I may have just found a new favorite author.