What is traveling to you?

[goomba]

So I read this today:

"Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things towards the eternal or what we imagine of it." - Cesare Pavese

In a Masonic context traveling is one of our greatest privileges. We run into strangers who are also are most trusted family. Their lodge, while not our home lodge, should always feel as if it is. Being off balance is right! We all know that only our way is right lol. It can be confusing but ultimately very educational to be off balance.

The middle bit "nothing is yours except the essential things" really hit me. Have I maybe become to accustomed to the things which are not essential that I forget the beauty in the essential.

Traveling is simply moving. You can travel the world over and never move a foot, such as reading a book. But actually traveling to another Masonic place (a lodge in your jurisdiction or a foreign one) can and does expand Masonry.

 

[Glen Cook]

Clearly, the quoted author hasn't traveled with my wife, who has brought everything that is hers ( as I sit here in a Florida hotel room).

But yes, I agree with your point regarding traveling

 

[goomba]

Clearly, the quoted author hasn't traveled with my wife, who has brought everything that is hers ( as I sit here in a Florida hotel room).

But yes, I agree with your point regarding traveling

I almost spit water all over my work desk.

 

[Brother JC]

For an Italian, born in the beginning of the 20th century, traveling probably was brutal. Being an anti-fascist certainly wouldn't have helped.
Glenn, I can only imagine...

 

[Thomas Stright]

Clearly, the quoted author hasn't traveled with my wife, who has brought everything that is hers...

I married her sister, The wife can't go anywhere overnight without the kitchen sink.

I used to travel for work to the tune of several hundred flights a year and 250-275 nights in hotels. Money was great but I don't miss it at all.

 

[LK600]

So I read this today:

"Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things towards the eternal or what we imagine of it." - Cesare Pavese

In some ways... that sounds freeing to me.

Beyond that... yes, when my wife and I travel... I have a carry on, she checks 2 suitcases and a carry on.

I agree as well.

 

[Warrior1256]

Traveling is simply moving. You can travel the world over and never move a foot, such as reading a book. But actually traveling to another Masonic place (a lodge in your jurisdiction or a foreign one) can and does expand Masonry.

Nice!

Clearly, the quoted author hasn't traveled with my wife, who has brought everything that is hers ( as I sit here in a Florida hotel room).

Lol!

 

[Tyler Atkinson]

I had something happen to me yesterday that was pretty cool regarding "traveling". I smoke pipes and cigars and I go out of town to purchase them. I have been to this shop several times and was acquainted with the employees there. So as usual I walk In and purchase a couple of sticks and as me and the guy, who I've met several times, he noticed my ring and simply asked if I was a traveling man. From that second on it was as if we were close friends from him offering a cigarette to talking about the military. Although I've been there dozens of times, it feels more inviting to walk in and relax knowing I am among brothers. I see traveling as us building and progressing ourselves with knowledge, morals, and virtues, and spreading brotherly love wherever we go and whenever possible. My friend who has been a mason for 35 years said you never stop learning and will always be travelling and striving to better yourself and help others. To me this is traveling.

 

[Warrior1256]

My friend who has been a mason for 35 years said you never stop learning and will always be travelling and striving to better yourself and help others. To me this is traveling.

Agreed!

 

[acjohnson53]

LOL, When I travel I try to travel light but it was said the wife fills up her suitcase and have of mine...

 

[pointwithinacircle2]

For three years I worked away from home, traveling back on weekends. During that time I lived out of my carry-on suitcase. By the end it would only be half full when I left for work. It is amazing what you just don't need.

 

[Randy81]

Over the past couple of years, I have been able to visit lodges in four different states and it's been great. More specifically, my time traveling in my home lodge state of Louisiana was great though. We have a app that we use to post degree times across the state. I'm not married so a lot of nights I'd look at the schedule and if a lodge was within an hour or an hour and a half, I'd just go to the degree. It took less than a month, and regardless of the lodge, I always saw a familiar face.

The most remarkable thing to me during my travels is some of the men putting in serious degree work. Sure, you'll see a young man here and there, but most of the guys are in their 70's or 80's and just are spot on, every time. It's really impressive to me. I feel like I'm fairly good at memorization, but these guys put me to shame. I've in a new state as of a couple weeks ago and have yet to visit a local lodge but plan to this week. I'm not concerned though, because regardless of where I'm at, its as if I've known the brothers my entire life.

 

[Warrior1256]

I feel like I'm fairly good at memorization, but these guys put me to shame.

I know how you feel!

regardless of where I'm at, its as if I've known the brothers my entire life.

Same here.

 

[Andrewsmith8504]

As a travelling nurse, i move locations every 3 to 6 months, with a permanent address in Indiana, due to this i have not be to lodge for a while. That is why i find the online community so useful to learn and keep intouch with brothers. Staying of balance and living simply is a real eye opener. You really get to the root of being human without the things you own, owning you. It is a difficult life bit a rewarding one. There is something to be said for having fewer possessions and more time with my family that comes with me.

Sent from my SM-G935V using My Freemasonry mobile app

 

[Warrior1256]

There is something to be said for having fewer possessions and more time with my family that comes with me.

Wishing you the best of luck and fortune!

 

[DocConcrete13]

I travel for work quite a bit. As a recently raised MM, I haven't been able to officially visit anywhere until last month. Being from Georgia, it was really cool that my first visit to another lodge other than my own was to a UGLE lodge in Cape Town, South Africa. I was greeted as a brother, witnessed the conferring of the sublime Degree of Master Mason, invited to the formal meal afterwards, and genuinely made to feel not only that I belonged, but that I had close personal friends who would have my back no matter what when I am in their neck of the woods. I know how blessed I am to be able to visit lodges outside of the U.S., and I am pleased to report that, though our ritual may differ, the fraternal ties are strong.

Brent Rollins
Oothcaloga #154 Calhoun, GA

 

[Warrior1256]

I travel for work quite a bit. As a recently raised MM, I haven't been able to officially visit anywhere until last month. Being from Georgia, it was really cool that my first visit to another lodge other than my own was to a UGLE lodge in Cape Town, South Africa. I was greeted as a brother, witnessed the conferring of the sublime Degree of Master Mason, invited to the formal meal afterwards, and genuinely made to feel not only that I belonged, but that I had close personal friends who would have my back no matter what when I am in their neck of the woods. I know how blessed I am to be able to visit lodges outside of the U.S., and I am pleased to report that, though our ritual may differ, the fraternal ties are strong.

Great! Seems like a wonderful experience.

 

[dpk Shah]

Over the past couple of years, I have been able to visit lodges in four different states and it's been great. More specifically, my time traveling in my home lodge state of Louisiana was great though. We have a app that we use to post degree times across the state. I'm not married so a lot of nights I'd look at the schedule and if a lodge was within an hour or an hour and a half, I'd just go to the degree. It took less than a month, and regardless of the lodge, I always saw a familiar face.

The most remarkable thing to me during my travels is some of the men putting in serious degree work. Sure, you'll see a young man here and there, but most of the guys are in their 70's or 80's and just are spot on, every time. It's really impressive to me. I feel like I'm fairly good at memorization, but these guys put me to shame. I've in a new state as of a couple weeks ago and have yet to visit a local lodge but plan to this week. I'm not concerned though, because regardless of where I'm at, its as if I've known the brothers my entire life.

Hello brother.

In my state, there are 77 lodges in my state, of which 30 are country lodges. From the 30 country lodges, 9 are less than 100 kms from me, 5 are between 100 and 200 kms and 16 are more than 200 from me. I have set myself a personal target of visiting all 47 lodges within the city whilst i'm still an EA and maybe also the 9 that are less than 100 kms. So far i've visited 19 other lodges besides my mother lodge in the 2 months since my initiation, still a long way to go. I'm married so its not easy to get out every night plus i work night shifts so its wake up early, go to Lodge and run to work after Lodge.

 

[Thomas Stright]

I have set myself a personal target of visiting all 47 lodges within the city whilst i'm still an EA

Here, EA's are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by a MM.

You as an EA do not possess the knowledge to pass a challenge, You need a MM to vouch for you.

 

[dpk Shah]

Here, EA's are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by a MM.

You as an EA do not possess the knowledge to pass a challenge, You need a MM to vouch for you.

Brother Thomas, I have done some visiting with my Worshipful Master, but mostly as an unaccompanied visitor. I haven't been 'challenged' so far.