Tim and I returned from a week-end getaway to Shaker Village in Kentucky earlier today. We enjoy these brief but cherished respites from the daily routine. However, it’s often that I hear Tim say, no matter where we go that he enjoys the destination but hates the journey to and from. Just as often, I will say in response that the journey is just as important as the destination. I firmly believe this on many levels.
The scenery, no matter where you are travelling, is interesting in and of itself. Beauty is all around us, even from a car window speeding down the highway. Though I generally deplore the hassle of flying from a large airport, I am still thrilled every time the jet lifts up above the clouds into the sunshine above. There is just something about this that always makes me anticipate it. It’s like being a child seeing the world from this perspective for the first time. It never grows old for me.
Whatever mode of transportation, we are a captive audience with those travelling along with us. This can be misery or it can be opportunity. We are able to take the time for a conversation that the busyness of everyday life doesn’t allow. Remember as children the endless games we played in the car while on long trips or the many songs we sang? These activities bound us together as family. We either drove our parents crazy or they joined in with the fun. It was all a part of the trip.
If all we can think of is, “Are we there yet?” we will have missed out on a crucial insight. In this earthy life, the destination is generally a small segment. The journey takes the most time and we overlook its benefits if we aren’t careful. It may seem boring or difficult but, on a deeper level, the journey is what makes us who we are. If it takes time to reach our goals, then we learn patience and perseverance. If our path is rocky and treacherous, we become strong and resourceful. If we experience failure along the way, we become humble but also learn what it is to never quit. Knowledge and wisdom are gained in the journey, not the destination. Reaching a pinnacle is not nearly as sweet if the ascent is a short and easy hike. It’s only in the struggle, that we appreciate the prize at the end of the race.
The apostle Paul often uses the analogy of a runner in a race to depict a life of faith. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” If heaven is our dreamed of destination, then life is our journey. Yes, we learn in the struggle but we also experience joy as we move through the beauty of life. We see glimpses of heaven along the way to urge us on. Each spectacular sunset, every melodious bird song in spring, every smile and tender embrace we experience, motivates us toward the prize before us. These are pieces of heaven.
Be that as it may, the journey is a mixture of good and bad, blessings and struggles. Accepting it all for what it is, may be the entire point. Live life fully without reservation. Run the race with gusto with your eye on the prize. But never forget to enjoy the view along the way.
