Our journeys were carefully planned, each with a destination in
mind.
For several years, my brother and I made monthly hikes in
the mountains. We'd always get an early start. But my brother and I
enjoyed the journeys in different ways.
For my brother, the
journey was about reaching our designated ending point, getting back to
the vehicle, and getting home within a reasonable time. I went along
with his idea because he was along with me. My idea of the journey was
different. Had it been up to me, I would have enjoyed the journey more
by not focusing on the destination point-to say we had hiked so many
miles or that we had hiked from point A to point B-but on the journey
itself. Stopping along the way to enjoy the views, to identify
wildflowers and trees, to read some of the area's history.
While
our hikes were good exercise-and helped me keep my weight under
control-I'm afraid we missed the joy of many journeys because we focused
on the exercise or our destination point. I'd love to go back and do
them all over again . . . A little slower.
Life is a journey too,
as Peter says, and should be traveled with a sense of God's presence
while I'm taking the journey.
Like others, I'm looking forward to
my retirement destination. But I don't plan to sit in a rocking chair on
the porch or recline in my recliner all day when I do. Being caged in
the house for five days with a bout of the flu was enough to let me know
I don't plan to sit around when I retire. That's simply the end of one
journey. I plan more-but maybe not ones where a boss dictates what I do
each day.
Nor do I plan to retire from God's work. Neither does
He want me to. God's assignment for me may change numerous times during
my lifetime. I'm learning to enjoy the journey of each assignment rather
than looking for a completion point.
God has many lessons to
teach during our various journeys. Working simply to get through with
the task causes me to miss the important and beautiful things along the
way.
Don't focus so much on the end of your journey that you miss
the beauty of the journey itself.
Martin Wiles
Hodges,
South Carolina, USA
