life – a journey

After traversing three countries, different climates and encountering an all-sorts of encounters, I am convinced that the journeys that we take, when we take them and how we take them is also a reflection of how the journey of life can turn out.

Very rarely would one take a journey without preparation. Itineraries are prepared, clearances sought, funds collated, maps drawn, weather sites explored, vaccinations undertaken and destinations confirmed. This is all done because a journey is a departure from the normal routine, it takes you away from the comfort zone, it removes the guarantees and puts to test your ability to stand on your own.

Journeys are for a reason. I have never seen someone who undertakes a journey for no reason. Journeys are meant to be voyages of discovery, closure, growth, strength and or healing. Needless to say, all journeys have a resultant destination : the ultimate goal.

This does not mean that journeys are flawless. They are missed planes, lost baggage, muggings, breakdowns, exhaustion, dead ends, missed turns and all the pain that comes with setting a course and walking it.

However this also does not mean that the flaws must be the terminal point of your journey. When your shoe lace loosens, bend down, re-tie it and continue the walk. One cannot, and must not, delay fixing the shoelace because while it might look minor, the consequence of not dealing with imminent inconveniences immediately normally does give birth to a protracted disability. I have seen a man who ignored a loose shoelace go on to trip himself and lose teeth.

So is life. All our steps must be prepared for, carefully executed and warily undertaken. Like a journey, life will throw mishaps; will bring injuries, pain, and discomfort. Like a journey, life will bring you missed opportunities , stolen joy , denied health and derailed plans , but like in a journey , the focus must not be on the mid journey corns but the joy of taking  off you r shoes and massaging your feet when you reach your destination.

So is life. I am convinced that it is a vain thing to totally cancel a trip because of a missed bus. It is vanity in my book because the necessity of that trip will always obtain until it is undertaken. In the same vein, it is a vain act to give up on life because of distractions and pain. A wise man will re-schedule a missed plane and in my book, a determined person will not give up but take stock, re-arm and walk that path again.

Life is about the final intention; it is about the ambition, the goal, the target and the attainment. It is foolish to give up when mud is thrown into your face because if you wash the mud off your face you will see more cleanly. When the wheels come off it does not imply the end of the journey. It means the beginning of another dimension, a dimension that will teach you to expect punctures, disappointments, derision and outright betrayal but this dimension is meant to make you stronger than when you tripped and only a fool will surrender when given more potent ammunition.

So, come let’s walk this journey for the sun will definitely rise tomorrow.