The Joy is in the Journey

"...focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." ~ Greg Anderson

We can spend most of our lives talking about what we would like to do, or we can actually do it. A lot of people live in the fear of failure and so they never try. But in reality they are fearing success, because if you fail you will be right where you would if you had never tried at all. So we should try, do, succeed, continue. There are a lot of books and things (I am being vague, because I can not remember exactly where I have read it) But they talk about the mind and spirit being healthy and the way our thoughts and actions can cause the spirit and our health to be well or poor.
Hurry up and wait. That is the mentality that most Americans live on a daily basis. Hurry to work, hurry to bed, hurry and eat. When do you stop? Why are you hurrying? When will you enjoy life?
I chose this quote because I spent most of my late teens in the mind set of getting there. 'When I get there things will be different,' 'I can't wait until I get there' But where is there? And what if it isn't that great?
I was missing everything along the way. Like the fact that I joined so many clubs in high school so that I could get into college. While I was in these organizations do you think that I stopped to actually enjoy what I was doing? I mean I don't necessarily have to physically stop, but mentally just take a breather to appreciate what I am doing.
Right now, fast forward, some odd yrs. I have been talking about what I want to do for over a year and have yet to take any steps in that direction. Here this quote applies, because you must first have a destination, short or long term in order to have a journey. My destination in life is to serve God, to be able to help and live in his Will. Although it is a full time job, it is not the money kind. I will get paid in other ways later, but the point is that for now, while I am serving I need to look at the journey as a once in a lifetime opportunity. So God has given us free will and also a way to chose our own career path. I am going to talk to an Advisor next month about going back to school.
With in Meditation it says to ask God specifically what it is you should be doing/learning in whatever the situation. I tend to just leave it wide open and not listen long enough to get a direct answer, hence seeking the destination but not wiling to take the journey. I would like to go back to school to learn but if I could I would fast forward to me just knowing all that I need to. Right to the destination.
But in real life, we must take the courses and learn for ourselves, the journey. The wonderful thing about our journey is that it can be completely different everyday. It can actually be completely different with in the same 24 hours, depending on the situation and mood of those on the daily trip with you.
I think that doing the activity truly is the good part. One day when I was running I had the thought that came : "You are what you do, not what you say you do" You see this came about right when I was thinking of the other runners out there and my friends. I was thinking about who I can tell that I ran that day and who would react with an "oh wow." Because I want that reaction, for people to be surprised or feel respect for a destination I had reached.
But I should be looking at the actual run. The problem is while I was running I was thinking about being done, and who I could talk to about it. Not about running. I do sometimes get caught in that thought process, but because I am a little more aware of the thoughts, they happen less. I would like to write more, but I am dossing off.
Today the lesson is in the beginning quote. Enjoy the Journey. The destination may not be certain and it may not be wonderful, but you can make your day joyous and productive. Happy Holidays :)