The Journey

I used to hate car rides.
We'd get all packed up, and the anticipation would build as the long stretches of road seemed to go on forever.
I'd do anything to pass the time.
I'd watch movies, draw, attempt to sleep, listen to music, or whatever else I could do to try to stave off the excitement.
Somewhere in between high school and college, my frame of mind switched.
No longer do I dread the 4 hour drive between Minnesota and home.
Now, instead, I welcome it.
I long to stare out the window at the beautiful fields whizzing by.
To take a couple hours to just breathe in the beauty of God's creation.
I revel in those moments of closeness with the Lord as I gasp at the wonders to behold.
Who knew the glories that could be found in a corn field?
Or the magnificence of the sun hitting the hills covered in snow just right?
Or the way the sun shines down through the clouds in visible rays?
I scarce can take it in - my heart pounding in my chest in delight.
You see, somewhere in between high school and college it clicked.
I shouldn't be wasting those beautiful hours.
I shouldn't be counting down time.
Because, by counting down until I graduated, or the next break, or to the weekend -
I lost the precious time in between.
That time is what makes up life.
Without the week days, what would weekends be?
Without the school year, we wouldn't enjoy summer.
They would lose their golden hue and shine if they were everyday.
Life isn't just the highlights.
Life is the journey.
The trip that you take to get to the destination.
So many times I wish I could just fast forward.
To skip the boring parts of life and move on to the future.
But, in reality, it's the every day that makes life so special.
It's the long stretches of road in between.
It's those quiet and serene moments when the world stands still.
Life is the messy bits.
Life is the highlights.
Life is everything in between.
Life is the journey.

0 comments :