I’ve
heard this statement, and others like it many times in my life, and
being the goal oriented person I am, I always thought the person saying
it was nuts. Of course it’s the end result that matters... why else would we want to accomplish something? Why do we go to school, if not to graduate? Why do we exercise if not to be in shape? Why do we cook if not to eat the meal? I know I’m not the only one who thinks this way. We’ve
all heard pregnant women wishing they could just hurry up and have the
baby now. I’ve talked with dozens of parents who couldn’t wait until
their child was this age or that, heard brides trying to speed up time
so their wedding day would finally come, and their grooms complain they
couldn’t wait for it all to be over! No one does these things just for the sake of doing them, right? And who wants to appreciate the 'journey' of being single trying to find a lover, or being poor trying to become debt free?
I’ve been no different. I too couldn’t wait to finish school, wished away time during my pregnancies, and always looked forward with a bit of excitement and a lot of impatience, wanting to achieve my goals the moment I embarked upon them, not in good time, but now! I’m learning though, it’s really not always the goal that gives us joy, as much as it is the journey. It is in the learning, the doing, the experiencing, the practicing, the being there, living each moment for what it is, that makes our lives so rich. For myself, I can relate to this best through the martial arts. In the movie The Matrix, Neo learns kung fu by having a computer download it instantly into his brain. Being a martial artist, I used to think that would be great! But looking back at the last 6 years of my martial arts career, I realize it’s not the black belt I wear (the goal) that makes me the martial artist I am, as much as all the work I’ve put into it. It is going to class every week, working, struggling, practicing, playing, succeeding, failing, and being present through every movement and every moment that makes it so beautiful. It truly is about the journey, and the second we stop pining for the future and learn to appreciate the process that we truly begin to live. BE where you are, even if it’s not where you want to be! If you're single, be single. If your in school, be in school... experience it and discover all you can while you're there. You’ll get there, you'll reach your goals, I know you will, and you’ll be far happier when you do, if you slow down and experience all the good, the bad and everything in between, in this process of life.
As always, it is my goal to uplift and inspire and I hope you leave here today feeling, even just a little bit, better - Kim