What parent hasn’t heard this question, over- and over- again?
What human being hasn’t thought this? I mean, REALLY, are we THERE … YET???
We are all on a journey somewhere, whether we think we are or not. We may be on our way to Wal Mart, to pick up the kids, to sit in a doctor’s office, to get a cup of coffee, or to mow the yard. We are all going somewhere. Maybe we are going somewhere we want to go, maybe not. Maybe we are going to a dreaded place. Maybe we are just blindly putting one foot in front of the other and don’t have a clue where we are headed. Maybe we are lost. Perhaps, we are soaking in all that the journey has to offer us. Regardless, of where we are going, we ARE indeed going somewhere.
“Where” we are going is not what I’ve been thinking about lately. This week, I’ve been thinking about “how” we are going.
Our society today seems to be consumed with gaining results, performing better, and achieving goals. These three concepts (results, performance, and goals) are important measures to determine progress. They are very valuable measures in determining what has been achieved. To see where you’ve come from and where you are certainly IS rewarding and beneficial, if we keep everything in perspective.
But, as I sit here on my back porch with the sun peeking through the trees and the birds chirping while volleying for position on the feeders, I wonder if the end-result is really THAT important.
I mean, what about the journey to get where you’re going? Isn’t there value in that?
What about the wrong turns taken and the potholes avoided? Isn’t there something to be learned there?
What about the people you touch while you are on your path? Don’t they matter?
What do you do when you achieve THAT result, receive THAT score, or nail THAT goal? Do you just stop going? What’s next?
There will always be something more to do, get, and learn. It seems that there is always someone who has more, does better, and is further along. What gives? It’s never-ending! Do you ever feel like you are on that proverbial hamster wheel running, running, running nowhere? What about that dog that just runs in circles just chasing his tail? What happens when he catches it?
Our family loves to go snow skiing. I love the brisk feel of the cold on my face, the “sound” of a snow covered scenic view, and the majesty of white-topped mountains. The thrill of flowing down a mountain … there’s really nothing like it. Unfortunately, there aren’t any mountains in Louisiana, and, no, Driskell Mountain does NOT count. So, we must travel if we want to ski. Typically, we drive. In case you’re wondering, it’s quite a loooonnnnnggggg drive to the Enchanted Circle in northern New Mexico. When our kids were little, we would measure the distance in how many movies the kids would have to watch to get there. They would gauge the length of the trip by how many DVDs would need to be completed. I know, I know, there are some that say, “I didn’t have that growing up”. Me neither, but my kids did and this mom used them on the long hour drives … with absolutely NO regrets!
I vividly remember only one of the many drives to go skiing. We were traveling to ski in the mountains of northern New Mexico and an ice/snow storm event had come through Wichita Falls just a day or so earlier. At that time, when our kids were young, we would leave on Christmas night so the kids would sleep most of the trip. My parents were following us in their car and once we got past Amarillo, it was obvious how bad the storm had been. I remember tensing up. Once we got close to Wichita Falls, it was just us on the road. Four headlights, two following the other on a lonely stretch of interstate highway in the middle of nowhere. There were numerous lone, abandoned vehicles all along the roadside, on overpasses, everywhere! We were isolated on this stretch of road trying to manage where we were on the road in complete darkness and isolation. Tim was driving and I was looking! Four eyes were certainly better than two! Not fun! Not fun at all!
Although, not fun, I remember so much about that drive, I remember intricate details. I remember Savannah waking up and having to go to the bathroom. Really, you can’t wait? NO, she could NOT wait! I remember worrying if, when we stopped, would our vehicle become stranded like these abandoned cars? What would we do then? “But, I gotta go NOW!”, Savannah said. Finding something OPEN on Christmas night in the wee hours of the morning after a major winter event is ALMOST impossible. I remember the excitement when we found the place, a.k.a., dump of a service station to use the facilities in. I remember being nervous helping my babies walk on this ice leading up to the dump/service station. I remember the feeling of exhilaration I felt when we WERE able to get out of the parking lot and back on the “road”. And, what release I felt when the icy roads were nowhere to be seen, except in the rear view mirror. We stopped at a rest area at day break. As soon as we stopped, Tim jumped out from behind the wheel and literally SPRINTED across the parking lot! I remember thinking, “My man has LOST HIS MIND!!!!” Whew! We were out of danger and, boy, did it feel good!
Quite frankly, this is the only driving trip I remember vividly. The other countless trips are a blur, one morphing into another one. This trip, this scary trip; however, is etched in my brain! This journey was worth remembering! No, it wasn’t fun nor was it how we wanted to arrive at our destination. But, boy, were we soooo appreciative when we arrived! We learned to make sure to check the status of the roads BEFORE we left. We were soooo thankful my parents were behind us. We STILL laugh at some of the memories on that ride. A ride worth remembering.
I’m on a different journey than I planned for or thought I would be on. I face a multitude of challenges right now … I must update the website … write that book … launch a life coaching business … put myself out “there” as inspirational speaker. I am fighting many inner battles and opportunities for discouragement to flourish. Yep, I can get overwhelmed if I focus on just the destination.
Am I there yet? Nope.
Am I close? Not really.
Is this where I am supposed to go? Certainly.
Can I get worried about it? Yep.
Is that helpful? Nope.
So, what do I do? I focus on the “next” thing to do.
One step at a time. I am very aware of the destination. And, I look to the next step to take me there. I write it in my planner and do that ONE thing today. I then do the next thing tomorrow. And, the next. And, the next.
I am determined to not get hung up on how far I am or how challenging getting to the destination is. I am not there yet, but I will be … one step at a time. I remind myself of that difficult trip to go skiing. I remind myself that every roadblock, detour, and pothole can teach me something and help me remember the journey better. It all matters and I will be better for it.
I encourage you to enjoy the journey. I know it sounds cliché. But, it isn’t. It’s powerful. Make yourself enjoy the process. You may find that appreciating the process makes attaining the reward, reaching the goal, or getting there much richer and enjoyable! Just start by taking the first step and appreciating the moment, whether pleasurable or not.
Tim and Savannah snowboard and Isabella and I ski. We have many memories that are forever cherished. Here’s a picture of some wonderful times.
Let these quotes soak in to remind us of the power of the journey, one step at a time.
“The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Chinese Proverb
“Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied in life as we walk, step by step.” Samuel Smiles
Enjoy the journey and THRIVE!
Stephanie