Have you ever been on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy? The boat floats smoothly across the still waterways, the streets around are quiet. There’s a stillness in the gliding forward motion. You’re actually not ‘going’ anywhere. Maybe you’ll see moonlight reflected on the undersides of the old bridges. Maybe you’ll be serenaded. Whatever happens, it’s magical. A carriage ride around Central Park in New York City on a wintry afternoon can fill us with the same magic. Or when we go on a quiet walk through the woods, simply for the sake of walking through the woods, we’re reminded of that magic too. These experiences of being wholly present without having a goal or destination enhances every experience in life. We don’t need to fall in love with anyone else to fall in love with life. We don’t need a purpose or achievement to feel happy. The journey itself is the experience. There’s no hurry, no worry, nobody but you and your own story and adventure. Getting there and arriving are one and the same.
