So I’m up in New Jersey celebrating our granddaughter Kennedy’s high school graduation. To think that Kennedy is this old, nevermind graduating, is almost unthinkable. Wasn’t my wife holding her in her arms just yesterday? Didn’t we just play “tea party” last week? How did this happen?

Kennedy is ready to move on. She can’t wait to start her “new” life learning all about make-up in cosmetology school. She wants to do make-up professionally. Before she graduated, you’d hear her say something like, “I can’t wait until I graduate! Then I’ll _____________” or “I can’t wait until I’m 18; then I’ll ___________.” You fill in the blanks. It’s not uncommon to hear that from a teenager. Now it’s on to the next big thing. Now she’s saying, “I can’t wait til I move out; then I’ll _______.” Again, pretty common for someone Kennedy’s age.

We all do it. We look longingly at the future we imagine or expect and can’t wait until we get there. Once there, we do it all over again. The problem is that we miss the journey. We miss the golden moments with those we love. We fail to notice those that are supporting us or helping us along the way. We fail to be grateful. We miss the lessons God is trying to show us in the process. We’re in such a hurry. One day we wake up and we’ve missed it.

Enjoy the journey. It’s the only one this side of heaven you and I get.