I love traveling. I would be a nomad if I could, wandering the world without permanent roots.

But I love a man that needs deep roots in order to be happy. Our compromise is to have roots, but travel frequently.

I recently returned after being gone eleven days. Four and a half days later, we left again for a shorter trip. Those two outings gave me opportunity to analyze just why the nomadic lifestyle appeals to me.

The answer is simplicity.

Life is much simpler while away. I have limited stuff, only that which I brought with me. It is less to take care of, less to keep track of, and less to find a spot for.

I have a limited task list. There are fewer chores, fewer things that must be done. In general, if I have a place to sleep, a way to stay warm, and food to eat, not much else has to happen. The rest of my time can be spent on leisure.

When I return from a trip, the complexity of modern life assaults me.

I have a house full of stuff. Each item needs to be properly maintained and stored, preferably in an out of the way place to not clutter up living area.

I have a never ending To Do list. There is always more to do. The kitchen gets clean, but then another meal comes. Dirt and dust accumulate. Laundry needs doing. There’s a whole list of projects that I want to do. And all this needs to be fitted around work, which has its own perpetual To Do list.

Perhaps I need to implement the simplicity of travel more into my daily life.

Maybe I don’t need all the stuff I have accumulated throughout my life. Do I really need those boxes I’ve carted through the last three moves? Do I really need all those old textbooks, or three sets of camp dishes?

Maybe I need to pare down my To Do list. Life is short, and time passes quickly. Maybe I should focus on the two to three things that I really want to do each day or each week instead of staring at a pages long To Do list.

Maybe then the time I spend on leisure will feel earned instead of stolen.

What do you think? Are you a nomad, or someone who requires roots? How do you deal with the complexity of modern life? Share in the comments below.

*Photo Credit: dajorus on Flickr (Creative Commons License)