So I’m sitting here on my back porch soaking up some sunshine musing over the fact that I’ve only got 3 and a half weeks left in Philly. I keep experiencing this feeling that I’m going to refer to as “last time syndrome”. It’s a peculiar pre-nostalgic emotion that is invoked anytime I think: This is the last time I’ll eat at this restaurant. This is the last time I’ll shop at this place. This is the last time I’ll ride the subway on the Broad Street line. And so on… It’s also about the people I’m going to leave behind. It’s emotional to tell friends that I’m moving away but with 21st century technology it’s easy to keep in touch all over the world.
So what is this about?! It isn’t like I’ve been banished and can never come back to ride the subway, make a quick stop at WAWA, shop at the mall or eat a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich.
It’s more than all that.
I experienced this same strange feeling before I had to say goodbye to all my study abroad friends two years ago. It’s a mixture of sadness and joy because you realize how great of a time you are having surrounded by people you enjoy spending time with, but inevitably it is coming to an end. You have to accept that you will never be in this moment, in this place, with these particular people again. (Rereading that sentence I realize my point could be argued because of course you can return to a place with the same person… but it will still be different. The people will be a bit older, the scenery might have changed and your memories will influence the place.)
I think our brains tend to organize our thoughts into compartments and when we are looking forward to something like a big trip, we focus on it so much that we forget about the other compartments, like the place we are in right NOW.
Focusing on where you are CURRENTLY and the people you are with is the most important part of traveling. Living in the now is the best way to be able to wake up and enjoy every day so that you don’t live in a depressed state in the in-between trips when you are broke, saving up, and trying not to go out in order to pay for that plane ticket you booked a few months back.
So it’s okay to look forward to an exciting trip and even count down the days, but to not get overwhelmed by “last time syndrome” it’s important to take time to enjoy the little details of where you are right now, in this moment, so you don’t miss out on the beauty around you.
Who knows, someone might be counting down the days until they get to travel where you are now! 😉
Brunette Traveler 