"When you are a young person, you are like a young creek, and you meet many rocks, many obstacles and difficulties on your way. You hurry to get past these obstacles and get to the ocean. But as the creek moves down through the fields, it becomes larger and calmer and it can enjoy the reflection of the sky. It's wonderful. You will arrive at the sea anyway so enjoy the journey. Enjoy the sunshine, the sunset, the moon, the birds, the trees, and the many beauties along the way. Taste every moment of your daily life." — Thich That Hanh
The older I get, the more I remind myself to enjoy the ride.
I had kids at a young age, so in many ways I felt like I was pushed down the big waterslide by my father (okay, so I was the dad that did that to my son, but he survived just fine).
Life cruises by at a blistering pace when you’re younger and especially once you add kids to the mix. Days seem like weeks yet years seem like days — it’s a wild ride of lackluster sleep and energy, yet you blink and your kids are out in the real world pulling their own weight.
We have so many opportunities to slow down and enjoy the scenery, yet we typically plow through like our Puritan ancestors would have done — heads down and grinding out the work.
But His yoke is easy and His burden is light, right?
After I wrote that last sentence of Scripture, I had to take a break and meditate on the weight I needed lifted. Even as I am hustling on a Friday afternoon to make sure I get in my workout, my cold plunge, and my walk with the dogs, I am writing about slowing down to enjoy the ride but I’m failing myself to do that as well as I should.
It’s not supposed to be as hard as we make it — sure, life will throw its challenges our way, but that should not preclude us from enjoying the ride.
Stop and enjoy a breeze, time in the sun, a walk in the woods, or whatever it is that floats your boat — I guess water floats the boat, so maybe we should all consider some time near water :-)
