Hello all!

First off I’d like to say I am so grateful for the Tiny Buddha community. You have helped me see things in a different light and I feel like I’m making good strides in the right direction now. I’ve been spending time in self reflection trying to get my life on track and discover my new purpose. Everything seems a lot brighter and life feels like its opening up now.

(See my last post: http://tinybuddha.com/topic/lost-dreams-how-did-i-get-here/)

I’ve been thinking about some of the things that really inspire me, that I’ve suppressed over the years while trying to pursue a career that didn’t end up panning out. It was hard at first, but after meditation and writing things out over the past week/2 weeks I’m seeing a pattern as these passions slowly return to me. These interests I keep coming back to might hold the key to my new purpose. But I need some clarity and help.

When I was young, I used to love going out into nature and observing animals, drawing plants and climbing trees. I dreamed that someday I would travel the world. I was preoccupied with the idea of travel. To this day, when I’m struggling I always drive out to the lake or quiet, solitary places in the woods to think. Obviously, traveling didn’t translate into a career path for me as I aged, so I was encouraged to continue drawing and to pursue a career in the arts.
Now I’m realizing that every day I dream of travel. I’ve been so unconscious this past year, I never saw it. I know its something a lot of people want to do, but its something I’m really serious about. I don’t want a vacation, its not like that. It’s different.

Recently when I was sharing my struggles with someone, they asked me: If you knew you had one year to live, what would you do?
I knew that the answer was I’d want to document the lives of people in other cultures. I’d want to learn and absorb. I’d want to help others gain a more worldly view, and cultivate connection. Honestly, I’d sell everything I own, buy a camcorder, and a camera, bring a journal and see the world…immediately.

Everyone seems to want to travel, and its understandable why! There’s a beautiful world out there to see. My question is, how does one learn to discern between a TRUE CALLING and a very strong interest/desire. I’ve gotten the impression from others that travel is a luxury/fleeting interest and not a purpose.
I know it’s not a job, but a calling doesn’t have to be a job. Is this dream something I should start to follow, or is it something to put off in the place of more serious things now?