The World

I was on this blog today looking at pictures taken all over the world, and the thought occurred to me that I have seen nothing of this world.  I have never traveled, although I have my passport ready, and even within the US I have really only been a few places mostly in the midwest, and everything is similar; restaurants, shopping areas, homes, churches, culture, and the people.  The only really different place I have been to are  New York City, on a drama trip in 8th grade, and to downtown Albuquerque  for a mission trip to feed and clothe the homeless.  While I was looking at these pictures I had two thoughts, the first was of how awesome the internet is to open my eyes to the wider world, but the second was that if I am really honest with myself I don't believe the pictures.  

I sit in a very nice little home a million miles away from Lebanon, or Siria, or India and my mind can not seem to comprehend the images infront of me.  One picture was of a mother and daughter on a porch, in Lebanon, peeling potatoes, I've peeled potatoes, only the building in the background must have been either part of an explosion or earthquake because you could see into it, as in their was no outer wall on the building. And I gazed at the picture with unbelieving eyes, in my home of so many creature comforts how can that picture be telling a true story?

Have you ever traveled? I want to, but money, and life, and now a little kid seem like insurmountable barriers.  If the Military ever sends us overseas will I be able to truly handle experiencing another culture? I would like to think so, but then again a small part of me thinks I would sit in my house wishing for Target and Red Robin.