Enjoy Your Journey

Are you making a living or are you making a life?
Does your family get the leftovers?
Are you too busy to enjoy life?
What are your priorities?
Slow down and think about your answers to these questions.

When Christa graduated from High School West in Dix Hills, one of the speakers at the ceremony spoke to the graduates about the new journeys that each student would embark upon. They had so many goals to reach and so many dreams to chase. They would be going in many different directions. The speech was directed at the graduating class but could be applied to everyone listening. I heard and I remembered, but in my busy life I haven’t always taken the time to “smell the roses” and appreciate the moment.

As the stages in our lives change; our goals, hopes, and dreams change. Richie and I have always worked hard to make a living and reach the next milestone in our lives and in our children’s lives. We literally built our home, had a trade and a profession, and established two businesses on Long Island. We always knew what our priorities were but sometimes making a living kept us too busy to enjoy life. As a nurse, I worked too many weekends and too many holidays. I can say the same for Richie, a lot of it because of self imposed work and deadlines. But we always did know how to take a break and go on vacations as a family. During these times we made special moments and memories for which we are all very grateful.

Through the years, we have, and are still very much enjoying our journey. Being busy and productive with dreams, goals, and aspirations is good. Joy and sadness, and good times and bad times, make us who we are. We would not appreciate our times of joy if we didn’t know times of sorrow. Happiness is internal. I choose to be happy for myself and my family even when the journey becomes difficult. Traveling through our trials can transform our priorities. Trials teach us what our treasures really are. The people whom we love are our treasures, not material goods or the things we do. At the end of life we will want to spend time with those we love. Take the time to do that now. Enjoy your loved ones; enjoy your journey. I am speaking about our physical, earthly journey but remember that we are also on a spiritual journey. As we keep growing in faith and a deeper walk with our Lord we will experience God’s blessings and favor in our physical journey. May we all grow in the Lord and enjoy our journeys.