The Patron Saint of Wanderlust

I respect religion from afar. And I’m definitely not into dogma. Still, from time to time, I make ritual offerings to the goddess of globe-trotting*. If you grew up in the western parts of the world, where the emphasis remains hyper-stuck on the Greek, Roman, and Norse pantheons, you may have never heard of her. Or if you’re from the eastern half of the hemisphere, but you were raised to revere patriarchal deities only, you may also find yourself quite unfamiliar. Her name? Yubokumin, the patron saint of wanderlust. Her animal symbol? Any winged creature possessing the ability of flight. She’s attributed with peace, cooperation, compassion, understanding, and communication. Worshipped at airports, train stations, marine docks, and the wide open road, people have even borne witness to her holy figure at certain miraculous sites, such as the travel section of their local bookstore. 

You too can honor her in your own special way. She ain’t even picky about the how. Here’s one approach. Say, you live in Alaska, but you wanna know a lil’ sumpin’ sumpin’ about Sicliy. You could earmark some funds and head to our retreat, certainly. But you could also get a taste of the place, wherever you are, through its famous recipes and celebrated cookbooks. Below I offer links to a few examples from the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Feel free to adapt this strategy for whichever region of the world the goddess of globe-trotting guides you. Afterwards, be sure to give due praise. Devotees who simply say “thanks” are often rewarded with more delicious adventures.

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Words & Image by Malika Ali Harding

*The goddess of globe-trotting is totally fictional, of course, but you can still enjoy these cookbooks!

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