Journey vs Destination

Can we equally enjoy the journey and the destination? 

In a quest to see if I maybe I was alone in my thinking of such crazy things, I posted an impromptu & informal survey on Facebook.  While some responses did not surprise me {sorry Meagan} a few caused me to chuckle.  They tried to justify why they liked both or why they were a certain way but really thought the opposite.

Those who answered destination seemed to apologize rather than celebrate.  Personally, I think both are equally important and both should be celebrated.  Some destinations in life are huge milestones even though the journey was not thrilling or enjoyable.  There are some destinations that are a huge let-down once you arrive and most of the joy was in the journey that may or may not have been missed.

You cannot reach your destination without the journey and if your journey has no destination, what is its point?  They both depend on each other to create an experience. 

For me, I have usually been a destination person.  I could not wait to grow up, go to college, move out of my own, get my own place, meet a man, get a good job, etc. etc. 

The following is a tale of two trips to the same city with very different outlooks.

Last January my sisters and I decided to head to Chicago for an impromptu girls getaway.  We planned, booked and headed out.  Once the details were in place, I sorta lost interest. My part was done until we actually got there, then more planning and details to manage.  As we were headed down the street to do some shopping, I forged ahead striving to get to the spot; I was continually asked to “slow down, we’re not in a rush”.  At first I bristled because I really did want to “get there” and they had been asking to go shopping, so why the sudden, “stop and smell the roses” attitude? 

Now, fast forward to November when I took another trip to Chicago.  This time with different people and I had a different role: participant, not planner.  While there was still an agenda, it was not mine and others dictated it, so I was able to sit back and enjoy the day.  We walked through the streets taking in the sights, sounds and even smells.  Hitting this store or stopping to take pictures of a balcony…I was content to go with the flow.    

How can I go to the same location yet have a very different experience?  As I have thought about this I begin to think about bigger destinations and how my role needs to shift.  Going back up to some of the life destinations I mentioned…how often do I/we tend to take the wrong role causing us to lose sight of the journey?  If I really think about it I have no control over any aspect of my life other than my reactions and emotions (and even then not so much J).    

Each milestone was something to achieve, work for or desire.  However, along the way God has been teaching me some valuable lessons, which I either heeded or neglected.  One such lesson is to enjoy the process/journey.  Don’t be in such a rush to meet the goal because maybe the goal isn't really the goal He has for you at all?