Not Wasted Time

Learning to love the journey, not just the destination.

I climbed into the back seat of the minivan, surrounded by boxes of tangerines and microwave rice, and inspected my leg room. I nodded my approval; there was more room than expected. That was important for a 5+ hour journey!

We were going on a family trip for Seollal (Lunar New Year), an important holiday in Korea that traditionally brings relatives together to celebrate fresh beginnings and show respect for the senior family members. But instead of simply gathering for a day, we were taking the three days of public holiday to go to the island of Geoje, in the south of Korea.

Some scenes from Geoje

As we all piled into the van, I felt a little restless. So much time on the road! The potential holiday traffic jams! The lost hours for exploring our destination! I just wanted to be there already.

Suddenly, I remembered something I’d heard in a podcast the previous week:

“We can get so fixated on the goal that we forget about delight.” (Alivia Roan on Faith Like Jasmine.)

Oof.

It’s true that I am often all about the destination and get frustrated with the journey.

Especially as a TCK, I can get restless for “the next thing.” I look ahead for a change, wanting to adapt to something quickly, wanting to grasp and make the most of an experience before it disappears with the next move. Slowing down to embrace the journey can feel strangely like I’m losing something.

Whether I’m traveling into a neighboring city like Seoul, and calculating how long I’ll have to spend on buses or trains, or I’m thinking about a life goal and wondering if I’m behind or even on the right path—I can feel like the journey is wasted time. I rarely even think about delight.

But what if the journey isn’t wasted time? What if I opened myself up to the potential for joy all along the way, not just at the destination?

I found simple pleasures on the long road to Geoje. Napping in the sunshine. Admiring mountain views. Listening to my two-year-old niece singing nonsense songs. Eating roast potatoes and udon noodles at rest stops.

The journey was a meaningful part of the whole experience, not an obstacle to get past as quickly as possible.

“You [God] see me when I travel and when I rest at home…You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” (Psalm 139: 3, 5)

What destination are you aiming for? Maybe your goal is attaining a certain language learning level… meeting a spouse… writing a book… getting to a specific country… landing a dream job. What has your journey been like so far?

Perhaps you’re like me, wanting to get to the goal as quickly as possible.

If so, let me encourage you: The journey is not wasted time. The journey is no less important than the destination. May you open yourself up to delight along the way, and be surprised by the goodness that you encounter.

“The Lord watches over the sojourners…” (Psalm 146:9)

Until next time,

Lynette

P.S. There are a few more pictures from Geoje below!