Back in my youth (I sound so old) I would take a hike quite frequently. Nothing would rejuvenate me more than going to my “altar” at Harper’s Ferry, WV. The picture that you see on my profile is from the Ferry. However, there was always one problem that I had. I felt it was necessary to put my head down and just go as fast as I could go from point “A” to point “B”. I guess it was some sort of personal challenge that was subconsciously driving me forward. Who knows?

Men are just wired that way. Once we get started on any journey, we don’t stop until we conquer it. We don’t ask for help and we certainly always know where we are going.  For example, when I would leave Valley Forge Christian College to come home to Winchester, VA for the weekend, I never stopped. I made sure I loaded up on Wawa’s Raspberry Tea and a stout bag of beef jerky before embarking on my 3 hour journey (once, I made it in 2 1/2 hours).Varoom!! point “B” here I come. I always took the back roads home. I would travel down the turnpike and get off on 222 and head south to Route 30 and then towards Lancaster and York, then I’d hit 15 south from Gettysburg to Frederick, MD (Hey Fouts!!), and from there I would take 340 south through Harper’s Ferry, to 7 west which would then take me to Winchester. Just me in my little Bronco, Raspberry tea, beef jerky, windows down and Bon Jovi cranked way up! Inevitably, I would always need to stop and “go” when I hit York, PA but I just kept on truckin’.

It wasn’t until one day, some years ago, that I was hiking in the Ferry with my wife, Sarah. She wasn’t in as good of shape as me (I played soccer at the time) so I figured I would just prove how strong I was and I took off. I figured she could just follow the trail. Once I was about 30 yards in front of her, she yelled at me to stop. What?? I can’t stop, I’m on my way from point “A” to point “B”. But, I waited. Sorry guys, I had to! Once she reached me, and once she caught her breath, she asked me why I was going so fast. I didn’t have an answer. It was just the thing to do. She then asked, “don’t you just ever stop and enjoy the journey?” Um, “No”. On to the top we went!

Little does she know that from that day forward I always kept that question in the back of my mind. The easiest thing to do is to go through this life and not stop to smell the roses. Some of us are on the mountaintops of life and some of us are still trudging our way through the valleys. At some point we all switch places.

Easter is coming up and I believe this is the best time of the year to stop and enjoy the journey. Because it was during this time when the journey of Jesus, here on this earth, came to an end. He went from point “A” to point “B” touching people like you and me along the way. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and calmed the storms. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Enjoy your family, your friends, and begin to enjoy your journey! Here’s the view from the top at Harper’s Ferry.

By the way, my family and I take the same route to visit our family in Pottstown, PA, as I did back in college. And guess what? I never knew York had so many sights to see:)

Stop and enjoy the journey!