For as long as I remember, I have always disliked car rides, especially road-trips. I avoid them like the plague. Maybe it’s because I struggle with motion sickness, or that I like to be the driver to be in control, or perhaps because I don’t have the patience to tolerate the drive and want to reach my destination in the quickest way possible. Or maybe, it’s all of the above. In the last twenty-one years, I have only taken two road-trips.
In my recent visit to California with my mom, my girls, and my two sisters, we decided to drive back to Colorado. The entire trip is about eighteen hours long, not including rest stops for meals and gas. We decided to make the most of it and stop overnight at several locations to sightsee. We turned our drive into a four-day trip. We came across beautiful views throughout our drive, from hills to mountains, to lakes, and even cities. We found a large beautiful lake in the middle of absolutely nowhere, hours away from civilization, tucked away amid dry lands. Driving along the lake and stopping to absorb its beauty, it hit me how we would have missed this beautiful view had we flown. Although flying is convenient and quick, it also deprives us of the beauty that surrounds us. Had we not taken this road-trip, we would have missed out on so many experiences and majestic views.
The same goes for life; frequently, we rush through things to reach the end result, all the while we are missing out on the journey itself. Sometimes, satisfaction comes from the process than the outcome. Whether you’re reaching for the next level in your career, the next step in your relationship, parenting, or even walking through a life storm, take a step back and try to live in the moment. Try to enjoy the view and the drive before you reach your destination. You never know; maybe your life lessons and growth are in the process instead of the outcome.
The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination. – Dan Millman
