True North

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.


-URSULA K. LEGUIN

I used to believe that happiness could only be found after arriving at my heart's destination. Explorers call it true north. For me true north was enough success to ensure that there was plenty of money to control my own creative destiny, to allow me the luxury to pursue my passions. Now that 1 have spent far longer on the road from Here to There than I could have ever imagined twenty-five years ago when the adventure began, 1 have come to an awakening. I've always controlled my own creative destiny, though not always its course. 1 simply didn't have the common sense to realize it until now.

But more to the point, I've learned that the spirit of our journey is as important, perhaps even more important, than the arrival at our destination. In order for us to realize genuine happiness, we must be willing to court contentment every step of the way. For after all, the journey is really all that most of us will ever know. Day in, day out. The journey is real life.

One day in 1923, the artist Georgia 0' Keeffe came to the same conclusion. "I found myself saying to myself. . . I can't live where I want to . . . I can't go where I want to . . . 1 can't do what 1 want to. 1 can't even say what I want to. ] decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to . . . that seemed to be the only thing 1 could do that didn't concern anybody but myself."

We may not all be able to paint like Georgia 0' Keeffe, who found splendor in bare bones and desert sands as well as flowers, but we can certainly learn slowly to follow her example, to carve out time for rewarding reveries that acquaint us with our authentic selves and give us glimpses of true north.

For it's during our expectant hours-those hours that might once have been called "idle" -that we are most pregnant with our own potential. The English poet Rupert Brooke, who celebrated quiet. joys so eloquently, spoke of those few lucky souls who could "store up reservoirs of calm and content. . . and draw on them at later moments when the source isn't there but the need is very great."

This skill-the soulcraft of devoutly caring for our authentic selves rarely comes naturally or easily.  But with practice, with patience, with perseverance, it does come.