Have you ever had this feeling?
The journey back home always seems to be faster than the journey towards your destination? Despite both ways having the same distance, and you walk with almost the same speed? The feeling is even more obvious if it is your first visit to that place.
I guess it is the uncertainty that is playing the trick.
Putting the scenario on a larger scale, is that how life is supposed to be?
Sometimes we whine and groan about uncertain future, the many dreams we want to achieve but yet to, and how tired we feel about getting through each day. But if we think back about the good old childhood we had, it doesn’t seem too difficult to grow up into teenagers, young adults and perhaps, becoming someone’s husband or wife, does it? Everything happens in a blink of eye.
Looking forward is always an endless horizon beyond the vast ocean, yet looking back are trails of footprints we left behind on the sand. Those are certain, significant and memorable times of our lives that we can recall back in minutes.
Say today you need to walk to a neighborhood foodcourt for lunch. You know it is somewhere nearby, accessible by foot, tucked in a corner three streets away. Yet you do not know exactly how long it will take you to reach there. You grumble on your way there to echo your growling stomach.
“When will I reach?” you ask yourself.
And then you reach your destination, fill up your stomach, and walk home again. You find yourself home in minutes this time! Why does it seem so fast now?
If life is similar to the walking-to-foodcourt part, how do we make the journey a bit more easy, comfortable, and enjoyable such that we stop asking “when will I reach?”
I’ve thought of a few these few days.
First up, give yourself expectations along the journey. Other than the “foodcourt”, which is your final destination, find out what other landmarks you will pass through in between. For example, two crossroads, one post office, a primary school, etc. They let you know you are definitely walking forward, in the correct direction, and is nearing your destination. This is akin to setting small checkpoints and targets in life. We all want to retire in comfort, have enough money to last us till our last days, have a complete family, and fulfilling career. But we can’t achieve that in a single step. We need to first equip ourselves with necessary arsenal, find a suitable career, suitable partner, and plan when to have children, etc. To put it simple, do it step-by-step. Don’t drift through your days aimlessly with only a “Millionaire Dream” that you want to achieve “someday”, and whine that your “someday” is so faraway…
Next, set off earlier and try to be in your best condition. Set off for your lunch once you feel a little hungry, and not when you can pass out of hunger any moment. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes, not one that bites you. Then you can skip and hop your way there like a happy little boy/girl, and not walking with pace so fast that people might think you are being followed by creditors. So if you unhappy with your life journey so far, make plannings while you are still young and able. For the older you get, the more commitments and restrictions you have. You find yourself less daring, and most decisions have simply too many strings attached. You won’t want to start late and compete with the oh-so- energetic little boys/girls, will you? Of course, you need to take care of your well-being too, in every aspect. Don’t sacrifice your health just to get there quickly. I’m sure you have heard of things like “life is a marathon, not a sprint”?
I guess having companion is important too. Anything is better than walking alone. Having friends and family to accompany you through the rocks and pebbles on the roads makes the journey not as hard to travel. Find someone to hold on to your hand. Compliment each other’s pace, strengths and weaknesses. Settle for a common destination and pull each other back on track when derailed so you won’t get lost. It makes you braver as part of a team rather than being on a solo quest. And oh, make friends along the journey! It’s part of the rewards.
Lastly, enjoy, enjoy, and enjoy your journey! Unlike real holiday spots where you can revisit, life is a single-way trip. Appreciate the beautiful tree that shelters you from the sun, the gentle breeze that cools your heated moments, the light drizzle that brings you to the bus stop such that you meet your dream girl/boy, and the long, winding path that brings you to your destination. Be kind to people, dogs, and cats you meet along the way, for a simple smile and hello can give them strength to carry on with their journeys, no matter how small it is.
