Let's meander shall we?

When I took geography in high school, I remember how I loved learning that a meandering river was the sign of a mature landscape, millions of years in the making. A river that flowed sinuously, at a relatively leisurely pace, through scenic valleys... I liked the sound of that. 

Whether journeying on foot or in conversation, I like to wander in this way, to take a winding path. To meander. Sometimes I set out simply for the pleasure of seeing where it'll take me. Sometimes it brings me right back to where I started. Sometimes I end up somewhere entirely new. Normally I end up where I need to be. 

Sometimes I know exactly where I'm heading and how to get there but I still like to veer off course and then circle back to the path. Sometimes it takes me a little longer to get there but oh, what sights I've found along the way, what creativity uncovered, what tangents of thought and feeling have been explored. Some of my most interesting discoveries, enjoyable interactions, or profoundest moments alone have happened as the result of a spontaneous meander.

But I've noticed that I haven't been doing this as much recently. Tending instead to stick to the straightest path, the well-worn route, the fastest journey time, the safest subjects, the most succinct expression. I still indulge the whim to wander here occasionally but in some areas of my life I've curtailed it almost entirely. And there's obvious value in that. It's direct. It's efficient. It's sensible. All good things. But I miss the leisurely meander.

In this month of considering want daily I've realised that, especially on brief journeys and in conversations where must and should need not apply, I want to allow myself to explore freely and randomly again. 

To encourage myself to meander more.