My father was a commercial deep-sea diver in exotic locations and

In the adventurous and reflective words of Josh Gates, we hear the call of both the sea and the soul: “My father was a commercial deep-sea diver in exotic locations and my mom was British and we would travel there every year. So I always had that wanderlust in me.” These words, though rooted in personal memory, reach beyond one man’s life—they speak to the inheritance of curiosity, the yearning for discovery that passes quietly through generations. For in the blood of the explorer lies not restlessness, but reverence—the eternal desire to see, to know, to be transformed by the vastness of the world.

Josh Gates, known to many as the host of Expedition Unknown and Destination Truth, grew up between two worlds: one of depth and danger, the other of culture and tradition. His father’s life beneath the waves was one of courage and mystery, where each dive was a journey into the unknown. His mother’s roots, meanwhile, connected him to history and heritage—the kind of stability that gives an adventurer his compass. Together, they formed in him a perfect balance: the drive to explore and the wisdom to reflect. Thus, when he speaks of “wanderlust,” he is not merely talking of travel, but of a deeper calling—the spiritual hunger to experience the immensity of life itself.

The ancients knew this yearning well. The Greeks called it nostos, the longing for both the journey and the home to which one returns. Odysseus, the great wanderer, spent years crossing stormy seas, not because he despised home, but because he could not help but answer the call of experience. He was a man driven by curiosity, by the divine restlessness that whispers to every soul: There is more to see, more to learn, more to become. So too with Josh Gates—the same fire that sent his father into the dark depths of the ocean sent the son into the far reaches of the earth. The explorer’s blood is an ancient inheritance, carried by those who look at the horizon and feel not fear, but invitation.

In wanderlust, there is also a sacred paradox. It is the ache for distance and the love of return. The heart of the traveler must hold both—the courage to leave and the humility to come home changed. The British philosopher T. E. Lawrence, known to history as Lawrence of Arabia, once wrote, “All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act upon their dreams with open eyes.” Lawrence, like Gates, was one of those “daydreamers”—the kind who carry wanderlust not as fantasy, but as purpose. Their journeys are not escapes from life, but deeper entries into it.

What Josh Gates reveals, though, is that this yearning is often inherited, not taught. The child who watches a parent brave unknown worlds learns that life’s greatest treasures are not found in safety. His father’s dives into the sea were metaphors for courage; his mother’s journeys across nations taught him the beauty of culture and story. Together, they gave him the sacred map of existence: one that leads outward into the world, but also inward into the self. For true exploration is not only of new lands, but of the heart that beholds them.

From this reflection arises a timeless lesson: nurture the wanderlust within you, but let it be guided by purpose. Do not wander aimlessly, nor cling fearfully to the shore. To explore is to live—to open your eyes, your hands, and your spirit to the wonder of existence. The world was not made to be observed from afar but to be touched, tasted, and understood. Travel beyond your comfort, whether across oceans or into new ideas, and let each journey remake you.

So, O listener, take these words to heart. The wanderlust that stirs in you is not a rebellion against home, but a call toward wholeness. Like Josh Gates, honor both your roots and your wings—the stability that grounds you and the curiosity that drives you forward. For the world is vast, and life is short, and those who do not wander, in body or in spirit, will never know how much of themselves remains undiscovered. Seek, then, the adventure that awakens your soul—and when you return, bring back stories, wisdom, and the light of the horizons you have seen, that others may be inspired to seek their own.