Journeys, Destinations & Pain Points

 My husband and I have different views on the pros and cons of being a competitive person. I've always told my kids that they should enjoy playing the sport they choose to play, but it's always more fun to win. My husband is more of an "enjoy the journey, it's not just about the destination" kind of guy. He also likes to remind us that "adversity builds character" and other motivational phrases that we don't always appreciate. I have been thinking about this a lot over the last few weeks, as I found myself in a position on a recent road trip where the anxious thoughts took over five hours into the journey, and literally all I cared about was reaching the destination. It got me thinking about Lucas's journey over the past year as well, and how things have not gone exactly according to his plan as he worked towards obtaining his EMT certification, but he reached that destination and in a few years, the journey or how long it took or what detours came up on the way won't really matter all that much. So in those cases, the destination does matter a lot, but does it matter more than the journey, more than the ups and downs of getting through those obstacles and detours, and the inevitable character-building that happens when we do face a little adversity? 

As some of you know, I started a journey to remove two large tattoos on my chest more than four years ago. I started at LaserAway (highly DO NOT recommend for tattoo removal) and had about 10 sessions there over the course of two years. I took a break, and then found Removery, where I have been going for the past year and have had an additional 6 sessions there, and am seeing real progress. When I look at the tattoos as they are today, I often feel like it's taking forever to get to the destination. The intense pain that I feel for several minutes and then the less-intense pain for the next 24 hours or so is an immediate reminder that our actions have consequences, and in a rush to cover up two very small cherry tattoos on my chest in 2017, I am now left with years of tattoo removal to get to where I want to be. 

This is a lesson I think we can apply to life in general, don't you? 

Sometimes, the decision in the moment to act is not the best choice. There are some choices that we can "fix" quickly. And then there are others that take years of corrective action, and wrestling with our choices and the consequences of those choices, before we come to the intended destination. 

I can't wait until I have a before and after photo that is as picture perfect as the ones we see on Instagram, with the "7 treatments later" and there is no trace of that tattoo decision. But, I also recognize in my 40s that life isn't always about quick fixes and immediate results. Sometimes, we have to put the work in, and it doesn't end up how we hope the first (or first five) times. And that's okay too. As long as we are growing, and moving forward, and have goals and dreams to chase, it's all worth it. The pain points, the journey, the adversity, the lessons along the way.