The Journey Is The Reward
The saying, “The journey is the reward,” has been tumbling around in my brain.
To me, it is a reminder of practicing intentional gratitude; of being grateful for the journey and not blinded by manifesting an outcome. I don’t find any problem setting goals, but sometimes life just hands out moments of “reward” that only come from the journey or process of life.
Like when I draw, paint, write, create, whatever, it is the process that facilitates my transcendent peace. The outcome is never as I expected. Like the digital drawing above. I had no idea what form this piece of art would take when I put my Apple Pencil to the screen. I imported a photo of our new-to-us cars, and it gave me the color palette I am using; which I think is gorgeous.
Yes, of course, I can’t wait to see the story that this drawing has in mind, but at the same time, it will be a story the drawing writes for itself. Meaning, I won’t know what form or message the piece is trying to send until it’s all finished. And, the fun part is different people will see/hear different things/messages when they look at it. That’s why I never try to correct a person’s interpretation of my art. I expect them to see what they need, or simply want, to see.
There is a reward at the end of finishing a piece. But, for me, my biggest reward is the sense of peace, intentionality in what would seem like chaos, and the process of creating something beautiful. Creating brings a level of joy in my life I haven’t experienced in other ways, and 90% of it happens during the journey of creating something beautiful.
So maybe “the journey is the reward” is life’s way of nudging me to slow down—to notice the quiet joy hiding in the messy middle. It’s not about the polished finish or the applause at the end, but about the stillness that sneaks in while I’m lost in a swirl of color and thought. And if that stillness occasionally produces something beautiful—well, that’s just life’s way of leaving a little paint smudge shaped like grace.