Stone 1: What is Life?

“The journey is what brings us happiness… not the destination.” 

Is a phrase that has been expressed by many in different ways. This particular quotation is from the script of a movie called Peaceful Warrior. The origional source material for this movie was the book  Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. The following is a video clip from the movie. In the scene Dan and a very wise man nicknamed “Socrates” are climbing to the top of the hill where Dan had been promised he would find a wonderful surprise. To say the least, this surprise isn’t quite what he was looking for. But–through a discussion with Socrates about his reaction and experience climbing the hill–Dan comes to an important realization about life. 

No matter how intent we are on our goals or “destination” it should not be the main focus of our attention. A goal is simply something set in the future that we would like to reach. Once that idealized point is reached must choose a new direction or become stuck in a rut.

The lesson from this truth about life is that we must always recognize that our lives are one big journey. No matter how badly we want to achieve the goal we can not ignore the process and time it takes to get there. If we do, then all we will have for memories at the end of our lives will be the empty highlights of where the goal was achieved and no recollection of the happiness we may have had along the way.

As Dan Millman says, “it is the journey that brings us happiness.” And to enjoy that journey we must be awake and savor it. Each moment is special if we only take our eyes off the prize once in a while and savor it.