by Jc Aquino

Compared to other world explorers who found their passion much earlier in life, I consider myself a late-bloomer when it comes to my passion for traveling. Having had my first domestic and international flights in my late 20s, traveling has become a regular activity that I aimed to do at least once a year. This is one of the two main reasons why The Panoramic Soul was born, the other one being that I lost in a travel writing competition in which I was 99% certain that I will win, or at least place.

Ever since I embraced the art of traveling and capturing stories from my travels, it has been an experience like no other. Aside from being able to photos and find a different take on seemingly common (and uncommon) destinations, I gained a completely different perspective on travel and life as a whole. The places you go and the people you meet all carry a story or a lesson that we can take home. These stories will enrich your soul and, at some point in your life, become a beautiful memory to reminisce. It is those brief moments that may initially look and feel insignificant that form and complete the small pieces to make you whole.

This year, after a short trip to Seoul, which is a destination very close to my heart, I took the idea of being extra immersed in my trip and romanticizing it. This was borne out of a moment when I enjoyed the gentle descent of the snow flurries as took deep calming breaths during a slow stroll in Myeongdong, with the hustle and bustle of the stalls around me, their tenders cooking buttered shrimp and steak, as I looked at the varying glows emitted by the bright lights and signs scattered throughout the street. It was like being in my own feature film as I lived, breathed, and enjoyed every second.

As defined by Brittanica, romanticism emphasizes the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental. It makes every experience more vivid, more personal, and more magical. The energy of being in that moment casts a memory that remains firmly etched in your heart and mind for years to come. At the end of the day, your moment, your memory, and your happiness should always take the front seat.

You only have one chance to experience what life has to offer, and it is your absolute responsibility to make the most out of it – in all its highs and lows.