Be Where Your Feet are
Hello everyone. I hope all 6 of you reading this are well. As for everyone else who doesn’t choose to read my strange thoughts, then I couldn’t care less about you. I know you’re tired of hearing about this virus and tired of being in quarantine, because that’s exactly how I feel. I’m not going to sit here and write about how even though stores are closed and people are out of work, that we should appreciate the fact that we are stuck at home with our annoying families, because even writing that ironically makes me wanna throw up. I’m sick and tired of seeing the same faces all day every day at this point, as I’m sure you are. As much as this world-wide pandemic sucks, there are some positive things we can take from it.
First and foremost, we live in a country, and even a world, obsessed with innovation, advancement, and efficiency. It often feels as if the world is moving so fast that we’re just trying to keep up with it. We are consistently bombarded with family expectations, work obligations, chore rotations, and event invitations. Some of these are things we look forward to and others are just a burden. Regardless of the fact, the point is we get so caught up in our day to day actions, weekly performance, and future planning that we often forget to experience the present. We forget that life isn’t simply a constant preparation for the future, the future being however you choose to define it. It is in a time like this that the old adage “It’s about the journey, not the destination” rings truer than ever. Why does it take a worldwide pandemic to provide us with a new perspective? Why is it that only when we are confined to our homes with nowhere to go, that we are forced to reflect on where we have been, where we are, and where we are going? It is only now that I’ve realized that I spend more time thinking about the past and the future than I do the present. And what a damn shame on my part.
When I really stopped to think about that quote above- a simple thought appeared in my head that just made so much stupid sense: life is the journey and death is the destination. While that may have been obvious to you and I’m just late to the party, it had never dawned on me to think about it that way. I had always thought about that quote in the context of a goal. It made sense to me in the pursuit of a high school football state championship. I knew I needed to embrace the process of becoming a better football player. That process means eating right, training hard, and studying my ass off. It means being a coachable player and a selfless teammate. I could go on and on, but the point I’m trying to make is that I didn’t win a state championship. I didn’t even make it to the state championship game. Regardless, my senior year of high school was the best year of my life and I wouldn’t change one moment of it. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t reach the destination I had yearned for and worked so hard for. I can confidently say that my experience was so meaningful that a championship wouldn’t have made much of a difference in the way I remember that season. So in that sense, I always understood the quote. I needed a new perspective for the quote to present itself with a new, bigger, more profound meaning. Do not live for the sake of experiencing another moment somewhere in the future. That moment doesn’t exist.
Jerry Seinfeld has a funny bit where he talks about how “going out” is one of the most enjoyable parts of being a person. We get pick a spot, make a reservation, take a shower, get ready, get the car, drive to the place, and once you get there you can’t help but think: I’ve got to be getting back. He ends the bit by saying “wherever you are in life, it’s my feeling that you’ve gotta go.” Now sure this isn’t true for every event. There are some things we never want to end, but really think about it. I know at least for myself that he couldn’t be more accurate. I’m always ruminating on what’s next. I’ve gotta go. I’ve got somewhere to be. I’d rather be here; I’d rather be there; I’d rather be home. When I’m home I’d rather be out and when I’m out I’d rather be home. If I’m constantly in a state of transition then where I ultimately heading? To the grave. That’s where.
Let these unfortunate circumstances serve as a reminder to be aware of your surroundings. Take in every moment you find yourself in and remember that:
“An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit.”
With that said, enjoy each and every moment of every pursuit my friends, because you will miss them one day. Stay safe.
