"Not all who wander are lost"

“Not all who wonder are lost,” read a tattoo sported by my philosophy professor last fall (at least he told us that’s what it meant—the quote was inked in its original elvish). He told us this line was penned by J.R.R. Tolkien. I liked this counter-cultural idea, so despite my unfamiliarity with his works, I had the immediate impression that in addition to being a masterful storyteller, the famed author was quite clever and insightful.

Little did I know that to encounter this idea, all Mr. Tolkien had to do was take Daoism 101, or even just show up for the first day of class. Turns out wandering, as opposed to purposeful, intentional, goal-oriented living, is central to flourishing as a human being under the Daoism tradition. Religious Studies Professor and author Stephen Prothero offers this contrast between our modern culture and the idea of wandering:

“Modern life is purpose-driven. Though much of it is conducted in an office chair, it is nonetheless about speed and efficiency—“galloping by sitting.” Wandering, by contrast, is slow, unproductive, and open to surprises. If you have a destination, or even a plan, you aren’t on a wander. Purposeless by design, wandering is closer to play than to work. It lets the circumstance and desire take you where they will, and it doesn’t sweat the outcome.”

That sounds all right, doesn’t it? Kinda makes me wanna hop on a plane, go somewhere I’ve never been, and aimlessly explore. Mmm how bout Hong Kong? Sure, why not!