One of the “Seven Habits” of Stephen Covey’s book of the same name is “Begin with the end in mind.” I’m thinking that there needs to be an asterisk on this foundational habit: but don’t miss the journey.
Most mornings I begin my ‘journey’ to work. The ‘end’ is arriving at the conference and retreat center of which I am the director. I begin my trek on Goat Road, and then drive west for forty minutes to the center. One morning, I happened a peek over my shoulder. Much to my delight, I saw the sun rising in the east over the Catawba River and Goat Island. I noticed anew the goats keeping the river bank clear, silhouetted in front of the pink sun reflecting upon the water.
The image beckoned me to pull-over, interact with the goats, and snap a few photos. How many times have I driven past this intersection and failed to look around and notice beauty of the moment? Being so focused on the ‘end’ I missed maybe the most important part – the journey. It’s become cliché, but in many cases “the journey IS the destination”.
Back in March, we entered this pandemic with the ‘end in mind’, whether that be herd immunity or a vaccine. Little did we know how long of a journey this was going to be! All the while, we put many important parts of our life on hold. I haven’t been to the Y or enjoyed a night out in a restaurant in six months. One’s necessary for my physical well-being, the other I could argue is important to my emotional connectedness. Spiritual health once nourished by gathering as a faith community at church or at other events for many is starving to find alternate forms of nourishment.
By focusing on the ‘end’, we fail to appreciate the journey. It’s been a grueling year, no doubt. Many are grieving what has been lost and suffering from the pain and changes the pandemic has brought about. With so much focus on the end, we dismiss the beauty of the journey. People are spending more time with their children, commuters as spending less time in their cars, the hiking trails are seeing many people come and enjoy the outdoors. On the days I work from home, I have an extra eighty minutes to pray, write, reflect, or even work.
With an unwavering focus on the ‘West’ I missed the gorgeous sunrise in the East.
Goals are important. It’s good to have a target at which to aim. In the process, however, don’t miss the joy that the quivering arrow experiences soaring to its destination.