Friends of Dave #131: The Station
Relish the moment is a good motto.
Truth be told, I had a lot going on this week, Friends, and I am a bit worn out.
So instead of writing something original, I figured I would change things up and pass along a short essay that came up in a conversation this week.
It is called "The Station" by Robert J. Hastings and it is one of my all time favorites. I had not read it in a while, and I am always inspired when I have the opportunity to revisit it.
If you have never read it before (or not sure if you have), please take a few minutes and try to READ IT WITHOUT SCANNING:
The Station
Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long, long trip that almost spans the continent. We're traveling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. There will be bands playing, and flags waving. And once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering ... waiting, waiting, waiting, for the station.
However, sooner or later we must realize there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
"When we reach the station, that will be it !" we cry. Translated it means, "When I'm 18, that will be it ! When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz, that will be it ! When I put the last kid through college, that will be it ! When I have paid off the mortgage, that will be it ! When I win a promotion, that will be it ! When I reach the age of retirement, that will be it ! I shall live happily ever after !"
Unfortunately, once we get it, then it disappears. The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. Rather, it is regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.
So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.
Hope you liked that. And believe it or not, while the title of the Last Word article may seem otherwise, it is actually somewhat related to the general sentiment of this intro, so you should definitely check that out as well as the other links too.
Enjoy the weekend, the upcoming short work week, and have a safe and happy July 4th!
XOXO
Dave
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I know, I know, maybe not the most uplifting of topics, Friends, but an interesting longer read, nonetheless -- and one to which I am sure many of you will be able to relate.
And, if you are turned off by the idea of a longer read, take solace in the fact that the Atlantic also includes links to audio versions of it for you to stream on your phone. No excuses!