Joy in the Journey

It can be so easy to get caught up in ourselves - can't it? (at least it is for me...) It's easy to feel so weighed down by life, by the trials we're enduring, by the difficulties that get tossed in our way. But what about enjoying life? What about experiencing things with the attitude of enjoying the moment. I've been thinking about this a lot this week. How sad is it to miss out on the experiences in life because we are too wrapped up in today's trial. I've been thinking about not just waiting for the next big thing to make us happy.

Don't laugh - but part of my thinking has been because of a song I've been listening to by Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) called "The Climb". It talks about how it's the experience, or "the climb" that makes life worth living. Here are the lyrics:

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head sayin,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking, every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking
but I got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's The Climb

The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking
Sometimes they knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
The pain I'm knowing but these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about, it's all about
The climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith

Then today we were in Sacrament Meeting and our High Counsel speaker talked about a General Conference talk by President Monson called "Joy in the Journey" from October 2008. As the high counsel speaker started to give his talk I thought - here we go again - exactly what I am supposed to hear. So I sat up and tried to listen a little better than usual. I'm grateful that I noticed that nudging of the spirit - it was exactly what I needed to hear!

In his talk he mentioned a story about his family years ago and how their car and camper trailer had been stolen when they were traveling on vacation. He said that there were tears, that it was hard and upsetting, and cost thousands of dollars - but that they enjoyed the trip - they had joy in the journey.

I came home and read over President Monson's talk. I LOVE these 2 quotes from his talk:

1. "I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."
2. "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

So this week I am going to work extra hard at enjoying the journey, loving every minute of my life - where it is now. Yes, I want to be a dreamer, and look forward to the exciting things we have to enjoy in the future - but I hope and pray that I don't waste away my todays with dreams of tomorrow.

Along those same lines - a quote from a favorite movie at our house - Kung Fu Panda. Oogway says, "You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."