The fact that people will pay you to talk to people and travel

Nicholas Kristof, the wandering journalist and seeker of truth, once marveled: “The fact that people will pay you to talk to people and travel to interesting places and write about what intrigues you, I am just amazed by that.” Though these words may seem light and humble, they carry within them a great lesson about vocation, purpose, and the blessings that flow when one’s passion becomes one’s work. For Kristof speaks not merely of wages, but of wonder—the awe that arises when labor and love become one.

In naming the power of being paid to talk to people, Kristof points to the most ancient art: listening and storytelling. From the dawn of humanity, the wise ones were those who gathered the words of others, who carried tales across valleys, and who gave voice to those unheard. To be a vessel for the stories of strangers is no small task, for it requires humility, courage, and empathy. And yet, he declares his amazement that such a sacred duty is also a livelihood, a recognition by the world that the telling of truths is worthy of reward.

He also speaks of the joy to travel to interesting places, a gift known to prophets, merchants, and poets alike. Travel opens the soul to wonder, strips away the walls of familiarity, and broadens the vision of those who dare. To step into new lands is to behold the face of the world anew, and to gather insights that cannot be gained from within the narrow circle of home. In Kristof’s words lies the joy of one who has crossed deserts and mountains, not as a conqueror but as a witness, finding wisdom in the faraway.

And then comes the final act: to write about what intrigues you. Here is the alchemy of the journalist, the poet, the historian: to take the raw clay of experience and shape it into words that endure. Writing transforms fleeting encounters into lasting treasures. What Kristof marvels at is not simply the act of writing, but the astonishing truth that the world values curiosity itself—that to follow one’s intrigues can also serve others, teaching them, moving them, awakening them.

History gives us examples of this same calling. Herodotus, the father of history, traveled among Egyptians, Persians, and Scythians, gathering their customs and tales. He too must have marveled that his wanderings, his conversations, and his writings became treasures to the ages. Marco Polo, likewise, carried back the wonders of the East, not only enriching his own life but expanding the imagination of Europe. In these figures, as in Kristof, the humble astonishment at being rewarded for curiosity shines forth.

The deeper lesson here is gratitude. Too often, men and women grow blind to the marvel of their own work, treating blessings as burdens. Kristof reminds us to remain amazed—to see our vocations not only as labors, but as gifts. When one’s daily toil is aligned with one’s passion, the soul must give thanks. And when the world honors that passion with reward, it is not only fortune but calling fulfilled.

So, O seeker of wisdom, take this teaching into your own heart: seek the work that awakens your curiosity, that stirs your soul, that leads you to listen, to travel, to create. Do not despise small beginnings, for even the simplest conversations can bloom into truths that inspire multitudes. And when you find yourself walking the path where passion meets provision, pause often, as Kristof did, to be amazed. For to live in wonder is itself the highest reward.

Thus let this truth be etched upon your heart: “People will pay you to talk, to travel, to write about what intrigues you.” Take courage, for this is not only the marvel of one journalist, but the possibility for all who dare to align their lives with their deepest passions.