The internet seems to believe that booking a flight can solve just about all of your problems. Let the memes tell it, you can undo the emotional damage of a breakup, reverse the effects of months of burnout, or reach clarity on mending a rift with a friend, all with a well-assembled itinerary. And while I know better than to live my life according to the World Wide Web, this is one theory that I could not agree with more. Think about it…how can you argue against the cure-all-like qualities of a little sand, sun, and sea salt? It’s nearly impossible.
I’m not sure if it’s my Sagittarian sensibility for seeking adventure and knowledge at every turn, but since I was young, the idea of traveling has played a huge role in how I conceptualize self-discovery and freedom (and since hopping on a plane to some far-off destination wasn’t always an accessible option, books and stories and photographs were always more than sufficient for, say, my 10-year-old self).
Now as a late twenty-something, visiting a new city or country is as much about learning a new external landscape, as it is about discovering new layers within myself. Beyond my surface level desire for the perfect getaway, which is a valid desire in its own right, my recent vacation felt emblematic of something that I was seeking on a deeper, soul level. It reaffirmed for me just how healing and nourishing the right trip can be. How moving with intention can open doors for you to return home to yourself with new perspectives and new possibilities.
In December 2024, I traveled to Belize for the first time in celebration of my birthday, and I was joined by my older sister. From the moment we touched down in Belize City, then journeyed by ferry to Caye Caulker, the laid-back island where we stayed, I felt my nervous system unwinding itself. A small, narrow strip of land, Caye Caulker is divided in two by a slender channel called The Split…but what it lacks in physical size, it makes up for in spirit.
The island manages to feel like a familiar neighborhood, while simultaneously bursting with opportunity to see and be seen, to connect more deeply with others and with self, in totally new ways. From snorkeling for the first time along the dazzling Belize Barrier Reef, to expanding my palette at one of the countless local eateries, I embarked on my fair share of firsts. Each nudging me toward the peace and playfulness that sparked my desire to travel in the first place.
Among the many gems I collected throughout this trip, perhaps most importantly, it reminded me of the unparalleled ways that sisters, whether blood or chosen, make room for us to remember the magnitudes that exist within us. The multitudes of joy, of possibility, and the expansive beauty we bear witness to in this world that reflects our own.
