“What do I WANT to do?”

This question was asked several times throughout my career and life. I’ve asked myself. I’ve been asked by others. Others have asked themselves. Sometimes it is hard to answer.

Back in 2012, a friend had expressed her gripe with this question.

This is what I had told her:

I was on my drive up the coast on the PCH. Just me and my dog Kiwi. Someone had told me to “be sure to get near Big Sur by sunset”. I was going to be just on time according to the map and time. I kept thinking that I had a specific destination to get to by sunset. I later realized that she meant “just be NEAR Big Sur, in the vicinity”…not AT Big Sur.  Well, I was speeding as the sun was setting. I was in the area, but was so focused on a specific place on the map that I didn’t enjoy the whole sunset on my drive. I stopped quickly to grab a picture with Kiwi and the sunset because I was afraid I wouldn’t get to this “specific location” in time. I saw the sun set in my speeding car as I drove up the coast, but never really stopped quietly for a period of time like I had wanted or imagined.

Once I got to the “specific location” on the map, I realized that it was an actual camp ground, not really on the coast.

Confused, I re-read what my friend told me and realized that she just meant to get to the vicinity of Big Sur, not the actual campground. The whole time, I had been speeding by miles of land that I was supposed to be “around”, viewing, watching, absorbing, appreciating. I should have just gotten out of the car and watched from there.

Bottom line, I was so busy rushing and stressing to get to this “destination” that didn’t exist that I missed the whole drive and the sunset. It made me realize I need to stop and enjoy the ride. It was the epitome of my life. “What do I want to do?” I want to enjoy my life. I want to soak everything in like a sponge. Every moment counts. I don’t want to miss a beat.

I think if we just keep trying and doing things that we love while making necessary sacrifices, it will work out in the end. We all need to remember to enjoy this journey because it’s all part of life. Soak it in. Enjoy the ride. It’s not about the destination. It’s about the experiences you inherit along the way. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”