When I was a child we would take frequent road trips from California to New Mexico to see my Dad’s family.

I always enjoyed these trips. I would often just gaze out the window taking in the scenery. I imagined what the land looked liked hundreds of years ago – when the Indians and buffalo roamed the land.

There were quite a few little shacks a long the way, and I often wondered what possessed anyone to make a home in middle of nowhere.

One year we took my little nephew Marty on one of these trips. Marty was four years old at the time. Within an hour of leaving our house Marty began asking ….

“Are we in New Mexico yet?”.

When we finally crossed the New Mexico border, my dad said “We’re in New Mexico now.”

Little Marty gave Dad a glaring look and replied “No we’re not.” My parents and I were baffled by his remark … Why didn’t he believe we were there?

Once we reached my Aunt’s house Marty hopped out of the car and began jumping up and down – “Yay, we are in New Mexico now!”. In his little mind, New Mexico – the destination was my Aunts house.

Thinking back on this trip, Marty missed out on all the beautiful scenery between here and there. He missed out on the road games I would’ve played with him – had he not been so anxious to “arrive”.

It’s really sad how many people live there lives that way. They are so focused on the destination that they don’t enjoy the journey. And then when they’ve reached their destination (the New Mexico border) it’s not nothing like they’ve imagined, so they don’t even realize they have arrived.

Take time to enjoy the now, once this moment passes you’ll never be able recapture it. As the old saying goes “Take time to smell the roses.” You’ll enjoy a fuller happier life that way.