Are We There Yet?

Have you ever said that?  Have you ever heard someone say it?  It’s a common question among our child population. It seems that when you are younger you are always in a hurry to get to the next thing.

I remember taking my oldest grandkid to the zoo many years ago.  We saw lots of great creatures.  There were lions, rhinos, and giraffes, to name a few.  Just as we were settling in to observe the next animal she would say, “Let’s see something else.”  In no time at all, she was ready to move on.  More recently, I had the squad of grandchildren to see a frontier fort in West Texas.  It consists of many buildings laid out in a very large rectangle.  We told the youngest that we were seeing this museum from long ago.  We would go to the barracks, the kitchen, the hospital, and many other buildings.  Of course to her, each building was a museum.  After visiting a few, she asks, “How many more museums are there?”  She was ready to move on.

Growing up, we are in a constant rush to get to the next thing.  We want to get to middle school.  We want to get to high school.  We want to get to the university.  We want to graduate and be on our own.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  We are constantly looking to start the next thing.

As this school year comes to a close, that feeling permeates our students.  There is excitement about finishing and moving to the next grade level.  I caution that there doesn’t need to be such a rush.  I can see this from the lens of age and perhaps wisdom.  These summer months are a perfect time to slow down and live within the journey.  Do some things that a busy calendar does not allow.  Get outside, away from screen time, and experience nature.  The journey can be as important as the destination.

Eventually, we reach the age when the tables turn.  We are older.  We are wiser.  We are not in such a rush.  We are able to appreciate and possibly enjoy the journey.  We get to decide when we are done.  We get to choose the finish line. We decide when enough is good enough.  We get to decide when our speed is fast enough.  Life is a journey and not just a destination.  

I think Ferris Bueller said it best.  "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."