Yesterday I went for a beautiful hike. The Pacific Northwest has beautiful scenery and this hike was through a lush, green forest wonderland.
The grand destination was called Crystal Lake, a sure to be beautiful sight. After about three miles, the lake was upon us. Ta da!
And…it wasn’t that awesome. Much smaller than anticipated. And just not that cool. It didn’t help that the day was overcast. This was the best picture I could summon. Amidst the power lines:(
But it was a beautiful hike. And a nice respite from the reality of life.
In many ways, such is life, right? The destination doesn’t always turn out exactly as we would expect. We don’t get that perfect job. Our children face unforeseen challenges. The race doesn’t go as planned. The plane gets delayed. Luggage gets lost. The opportunities for disappointment are endless if we solely focus on the destination.
But its really the journey that matters most. This we have more control of. We can pause for a moment and enjoy the beauty of life. We can look for the silver linings and lessons amidst disappointment. We can laugh. We can love. And we can commit to making the most of the journey, regardless of the destination.
Today is my 20th wedding anniversary. I honestly cannot believe it. Twenty years is a lifetime and when I think back on that young girl who delightedly walked down the aisle at age 24, she could not have anticipated how wonderful – and challenging – life would become.
Because such is life, it turns out. The destination may meander and require climbing some mountains along the way, but the journey can be beautiful.
We just have to pause. Look around. Be grateful. And embrace the journey.
The Redefining 