"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
- John Keats
What if the whole point of the journey that I'm on is to get lost along the way and end up somewhere even more beautiful than my original destination?
Last month I blogged about creating a blueprint for my dreams. Since then I've re-framed my thoughts on this and begun to think of it as more of a mapping exercise - dream cartography. My destination is clear to me now, so all I need to do is to determine which route I'll take to get there. I'm an excellent cartographer - quick to clarify the purpose of the map, what terrain features to plot versus those that are irrelevant for my travels, and a good judge of distance. Whether I'm designing my own adventure or supporting someone in mapping out their own, I'm good at creating realistic "maps" that are easy to navigate by.
Reaching a goal or 'destination' has always been easy for me, especially when I've had a well-laid out action plan, but now I realize that the best parts of my journey have been those times when I set the itinerary aside to just explore. When I've let my soul guide me down side roads or into the wilderness, I've discovered places that I would have missed along the way.
So now I find myself lost in the beauty of it all!
I'm no longer headed to the same destination I was only a few short years ago, but I've discovered an entirely new landscape in my life that is more magnificent than I thought existed! My family and long-time friends feel as close to me as the breeze that whispers through the grass; reminding me of the love that keeps us connected to each other as we travel our own paths. As I follow my heart down this unmarked trail, I'm surrounded by new friends, who light up my life like flowers that blossom with the bold colors of courage. Each day I see myself reflected in the waters of a new relationship with my beloved; it washes over me and carries me further into the wonder all around me.
In the distance, there are mountains that call to me to climb them. My heart pounds as I behold their majesty. For a moment, I consider heading back to the path that I left behind, fearful that I won't find my way; but then my soul tugs me by the hand, pulling me back toward the unknown.
"C'mon," the Divine says. "I know where we're going. Just follow me..."
So I glance back over my shoulder, realizing that I can no longer see my original path or even remember exactly where I was going. I stop trying so hard to find my way and allow myself to get lost again; and in doing so I end up exactly where I'm supposed to be.
What is more important to you - the destination or the journey? Have you considered exploring new terrain instead of sticking to your original course?