What’s More Important — The Journey or the Destination

How would you answer the following question: “What’s more important —The journey or the destination?”

When asked: If the journey is more important than the destination, I would have chosen one of the two answers and justified why I believed it was right. Or maybe to add a perspective, I would answered: how and when does the journey matter more than the destination?

However, he following image changed my perspective.

We are often asked questions in life that seem to offer only two choices. Do you love me more or your parents? Do you go after passion or after money? Do you choose spirituality or go after material possessions?

At all such times, please remember this image. There may be a third answer that better describes your state of mind.

Do you love me more or your parents — I love my peace of mind the most and that’s the honest answer. And it’s important. I will make the choice that helps me get there. My parents understand that and that’s why they never interfere in my life’s choices. Can you also understand that?

Do you go after passion or money — You only find passion after you put in the effort to master and enjoy something. No one is passionate about drinking milk or cutting their nails because it does not take any effort.

This video makes a wonderful case for it.

Do you choose spirituality or go after material possessions — Swamiji’s autobiography, If Truth Be Told, gives the best answer to this question. Raja Janak was also a sadhu who lived the life of a king but was not attached to his possessions.

You don’t have to leave everything and go today. Develop the competence to meditate a few hours at a stretch at home before heading off to the Himalayas.

So, going back to the beginning, sometimes the question might look like it is about journey vs destination; or that you have to choose if the journey is more important than the destination or vice versa. But you don’t need to always choose from what’s offered. 

I hope like me you can also take inspiration from this image.  Just because someone asks you a question with two choices does not mean you have to choose from them. Think and make a choice that makes sense to you.