Bonus 8 - Dr. Douglas Brouwer's journey from Western Michigan to the world and back again offers profound insights into how travel shapes our spiritual lives and understanding of home.

After spending 40 years serving as a Presbyterian pastor around the globe, Doug's adventures took him from maximum security prisons in Philadelphia to a church in Zurich, Switzerland, where he learned German at age 60. His travels weren't merely about seeing new places but about finding deeper meaning and connection with humanity.

The conversation explores Doug's most profound travel experiences, including walking 500 miles along the Camino de Santiago at retirement age. Despite averaging 17 miles daily for 28 days with everything on his back, it was the first night—stranded on a mountainside between France and Spain—that taught him the most powerful lesson about his own limitations. Yet he persevered, meeting fellow pilgrims from around the world who, regardless of religious affiliation, participated in the ancient spiritual rituals along the path.

What makes this episode particularly moving is Doug's reflection on the true purpose of all our wandering. After visiting 48 states and countless countries, writing a book called "The Traveler's Path," and experiencing diverse cultures, he found that his heart's true home was back near Lake Michigan where he began. "All of this moving around, all of the searching that people do, I think, is a search for home," he shares with emotion. "Where is it that I belong?"

Whether you're planning your next adventure or questioning the meaning of your travels, this conversation will challenge your perspective on what makes journeys worthwhile.

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