ONCE YOU GET THERE

Life is a Journey, not a Destination.      Ralph Waldo Emerson

I can still see the tiny little refrigerator magnet I once had and think, "yes, it definitely is all about the journey." Of all the new places, big goals, and great changes in my life, the final arrival wasn't necessarily what exhilarated me.  It was always in choosing the new venture in the first place and then jumping into planning and detailing, pumped up with expectations and anticipations. It was diving into the journey and enjoying a new ride. And once it finally came to fruition, it was always fun to go through the process of settling into my newly created life.

But look out, because once I’m fully entrenched and things become routine, I’m off again to seek new adventures. What’s up with that? Can’t I ever be fully satisfied with the here and now?

I’ll give you an example. Here we are, full swing into our new life in Cuenca. We’ve got a great apartment, a wonderful (though hectic) social life, and everything else we need. All that, and still comes the certain truth: no matter how hard I try, every adventure I've ever known eventually turns into same old, same old every day life. I shop for groceries. I clean. I run errands. Boring.

Not that there’s any reason for boredom. Despite incredibly great surroundings, I’ve already begun to take them for granted. There are art shows, museums, symphonies, and restaurants with fantastic local cuisine. And what do I do? I ignore most of them.  All that research and excitement over the potential virtues of our new home, and now that we’re here, we take advantage of only a small iota of it. It’s crazy.

I guess it's a pattern. I grew up in Rhode Island, a tiny state filled with historic sites and beautiful beaches. Did I appreciate them? Mostly when friends visited. Only then did I get myself out to Newport, Providence and the southern shore.

I’ve also lived in Guatemala, Barcelona, and Costa Rica. Did I come to know everything about them? Far from it. I got into my daily life, and then when it came time to leave, that's when I got into “tourist mode” and took advantage of their highlights.

Apathetic. Spoiled. Ungrateful. I’m sure that’s what you’re thinking. But think about it. Once you’ve journeyed to your destination; once you’ve settled into every day life, do you appreciate and use what’s surrounding you?

Thinking about all this has made me realize that I need to make a promise to myself. While new adventures may be the most exciting, it’s time I learned to enjoy the journey I’m in. We’re actually off to an art show tonight. At least that’s a start...


So what do you think? Am I the only one??