Life is a Journey
THE JOURNEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DESTINATION
by Jeffrey J. Mayer
We hopped into the car early in the morning and started driving to Door
County, Wisconsin - about 230 miles north of Chicago, just north of Green Bay.
This was our annual Labor Day vacation and Mitzi, DeLaine (my wife and
daughter) and I decided to do something different. (We left Goldy the rabbit
at home.) We made the Journey the vacation, and not the destination.
Every once in a while you've got to get off the beaten path, blaze a new trail,
and do something different.
The easiest way to get to Door County is to hop on the highway and in about
six hours you've arrived. But you don't see anything. You don't experience
anything. You're just following the car in front of you.
So we drove past Milwaukee, got off the highway, drove two miles east,
and started following the Lake Michigan coastline. We discovered the
beauty of nature, and had the countryside to ourselves.
We traveled over county roads, local roads, and even gravel paths deep
in the forest that were so narrow there was barely room for a single car.
The lake was on our right, and forests and farms on our left. When we saw
something of interest we stopped.
The beaches were beautiful. A gentle breeze blew over the deep-blue lake
waters causing gentle ripples. The fine white sand had been shaped and
sculpted by the wind.
The seagulls flew overhead and the ducks bobbed just off the shoreline.
We collected rocks. We walked along the beach. The butterflies played
with each other making figure eights and loops in the air. The bumble
bees flew from one flower to another.
An orchestra played for us. The birds sang. The crickets chirped.
The streams gurgled.
The fragrance of the trees - pine, evergreen and birch - and flowers was
everywhere. The air was brisk, clean, refreshing. The wind rustled through
the aspens and the leaves glistened in the afternoon sun.
The heat of the sun was warm, relaxing, and soothing. We were alone with
our thoughts. We were alone with each other.
We saw farms, cornfields, bales of hay, acres of sunflowers and more.
There were quaint beachfront cottages, and broken down barns.
Old homes and magnificent estates.
We went through towns that were little more than the intersection of
two county roads. Found tiny restaurants that served great food.
We saw the countryside. We met the people. It was beautiful.
And everything we saw was only five minutes from the highway.
What About You?
When was the last time you got off the highway?
When was the last time you tried something new and different?
When was the last time you asked the question: "What if...?"
CREATING MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME
by Jeffrey J. Mayer
She opened the door, walked into my office, looked me straight in
the eyes, and with a stern, somber tone of voice said, "The weather's
supposed to be nice this weekend and we're going apple picking.
Do you want to come?"
I was completely taken off guard. I spend so much time at my
desk - even working on weekends - that I hadn't realized summer
had come and gone and fall had arrived.
I thought for a brief moment, and answered with an enthusiastic
"YES! Let's do it."
A Family Ritual
In our household it's become a family ritual that every September /
October we spend a day in the country going apple picking. It gets
us out of the city and into the country.
So Saturday came around and we all got up bright and early. Mitzi,
(my wife) made sandwiches for a picnic lunch. My daughter, DeLaine,
gathered books and her Game Boy for the L-O-N-G car ride.
We hopped into the car, and hadn't gone a block when DeLaine asked
"Are we there yet?" To which Mitzi replied "Not yet honey. It's about a
90 minute drive and we just left the house."
Then DeLaine announced that she was hungry and wanted a sandwich.
"You just had breakfast and you can have something to eat a bit later."
Mitzi replied. DeLaine settled down and began playing with her Game Boy.
I find it fascinating to watch DeLaine do the same things I used to do
when I was ten years old, asking "Mommy, are we there yet?" "Mommy,
I'm hungry. Can I have a sandwich." And we've only been in the car for
90 seconds.
Is it in the genes, or is it just being a kid?
At The Orchard
In no time at all we were at Wauconda Orchards - about 60 miles from
Chicago - picking apples. We went from tree to tree searching for the
"perfect" one. Perfect in shape, size, color - without any bruises or
blemishes.
The best ones were always at the very top of the tree. And with the
help of an apple-picking pole we found 30 pounds worth.
This was a day to be with your family. We were surrounded by teenagers
and college kids on dates, families with newborn babies in strollers, and
kids in trees.
Everybody was having fun. They were laughing, singing, throwing
footballs, and picnicking. Some were speaking languages I had
never heard before.
After the apple picking there was a hay ride, a walk thru the corn maze,
and an hour spent at the petting zoo, where DeLaine fell in love with a
rabbit. (We've already got one. We don't need two.)
What Memories Are Made Of
That evening, as I was tucking DeLaine into bed she looked up and said:
"Daddy, I sure had fun picking apples today." And as Mitzi was falling
asleep she said: "Thanks for going apple picking with us."
This is what life's all about.
We work hard each and every day. But need to remember that we're
doing it for our family, friends, and ourselves. There aren't that many
opportunities to share a fun day together - away from the computer,
cell phone, and PalmPilot.
So block out some time on your calendar and enjoy this beautiful autumn.
Create some memories that will last a lifetime.
Reprinted with permission from "Jeffrey Mayer's Succeeding In Business Newsletter. (Copyright, 2002, Jeffrey J.Mayer, Succeeding In Business, Inc.) To subscribe to Jeff's free newsletter, visit http://www.SucceedingInBusiness.com."