Getting There vs. Enjoying the Journey

I recently read an article written by Richard and Linda Eyre, the founders of valuesparenting.com, about Life Balance. It was about Getting There vs. Enjoying the Journey. I felt moved to share their insights with you here because since reading them myself, I have found it easier to simply enjoy life. Hakuna Matata, as it were.

I am a woman of lists. I schedule as much of my life as I possibly can because it keeps me sane. If I go more than a week without referring to my various lists, I begin to lose my marbles. The side of myself that is oriented toward “getting there” is very strong. I've improved over the years. I don't plan every day of our vacations any more. But I've spent a lot of time worrying about how much I have to do, want to do, should be doing and not enough time just enjoying. My spontaneous, fun-loving side needs a little, okay a lot, more nurturing.

The world seems to want us to stereotype ourselves as either serious or fun, a planner or a flexible “go with the flow” kind of person. In truth, we should be both. We should plan for the future because we do want to get there. But if we think that once we get there, we'll finally be happy, then we are dangerously wrong. All the work and worrying we do is with the mindset of just plugging through life, and one day we'll see the moment when we finally caught up, finally got what we wanted, etc, and then we'll be happy. Until then, it's just the hum drum daily routine. When we see the journey only as a means to an end, then we resent it. We take no time to notice beauty or opportunity. How sad!

The Eyres helped me to sloooow down and stop being obsessed with my to do lists. I stick to them for the most part, but am flexible enough to deviate when I see the need. Suddenly I am playing with the baby more and reading to my daughter more. I'm tickling her, and my husband, who flips out every time. He's very hard to catch. I'm cracking jokes and being silly. I'm still planning my days and weeks and even months. But as I do so, I'm asking myself how I can enjoy them, too. Now I'm not in such a hurry all the time. Life is way more fun this way.

And guess what? I'm able to do more of what Jesus would have me do. That brings the greatest joy of all.