Once again, it is the journey not the destination.

John Bruna

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.” Andy Rooney

At the end of our lives, when we look back at all we have accomplished or failed to accomplish, what will give value to either? Will the amount of money we made be what is important? When we reflect upon a memorable vacation, what makes it meaningful? When we reflect upon the best times of our lives, what is it that made them so? We do not need to wait until the end of our lives to be able to reflect upon such meaningful questions. In fact, it is important not to wait, for none of us truly knows how much more time we have.  

If we do reflect upon questions such as these, though we all find our own answers, we may find some similar themes. We may find that we did not value the things and achievements that came easy to us nearly as much as those we had to earn. Despite this, we usually want things to be easy. We may find that the amount of money we had was not as important as how we earned it or what we used it for. We may find that though the place itself of our favorite vacation may or may not have been remarkable, what made it so meaningful may also have had a lot to do with the reason we went, the people we were with, the people we met, the lessons we learned, or the healing that took place. We may perhaps find that some of the best times in our lives were less a result of money and more a result of our friendships, struggles, kindness, efforts, and personal growth.

Though we may all desire a carefree life, filled with leisure and luxury, upon deeper reflection, we may find that instead of bringing resiliency, joy and growth, it may bring complacency and stagnation. The richness in our lives is usually found within our personal efforts to meet life on life’s terms, rising to the challenges, being open to its wonders and embracing its pleasures all the while seeking to improve ourselves, our relationships, and the world we live in.

I invite you to appreciate the activities and interactions you engage in. See what you can learn from them. How many of them do you take for granted? Do your best to bring attention and value into even the most routine activities. These moments will never come again and they are the building blocks of a meaningful life. – John Bruna, April 7, 2016.

MLP Community 1The above is a an excerpt from one the daily emails sent to the members of the Mindful Life Community. I invite you to explore our community and consider joining.

Copyright © 2016 John Bruna. All rights reserved.

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