A lesson learned or relearned

It's not about the destination, its about the journey. I know this is somewhat a cliche already but that is exactly what I learned from my recent trip to Galera with some friends. For some reason, it became a lesson in life rather than just a mere trip to the beach. The beach was great and all, and as to be expected I had enjoyed my time there, mostly sleeping inside our airconditioned room, eating huge amounts of horrendously priced food, babe watching, writing on my journal, eating and more eating. Thinking about it I slept a lot during my stay there, to the point that it irritated two of our friends (lol). But it really wasn't our arrival at Galera that made me excited to go on this particular trip, it was the journey, the travelling that made it more special. To go on a bus, to ride on a boat to the island. Meeting new faces, seeing different places, it was something that I really missed doing. It reminded me of a poem that started as an introduction to a book entitled "The Zahir" by Paulo Coelho. The poem was entitled "Ithaca". A reminder that in this journey called life, it's really not about thedestination, its about the journey, the in-betweens.


Ithaca
When setting out upon your way to Ithaca,
wish always that your journey be long,
full of adventure, full of lore.
Of the Laestrygones and of the Cyclopes,
of an irate Poseidon never be afraid;
such things along your way you will not find,
if lofty is your thinking, if fine sentiment
in spirit and in body touches you.
Neither Laestrygones nor Cyclopes,
nor wild Poseidon will you ever meet,
unless you bear them in your soul,
unless your soul has raised them up in front of you.

Wish always that your journey be long;
that many there be of summer morns
when with such pleasure, such great joy,
you enter ports now for the first time seen;
that you may stop at some Phoenician marts,
to purchase there the best of wares,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, ebony,
hedonic perfumes of all sorts--
as many such hedonic perfumes as you can;
that you may go to various Egyptian towns
to learn, and learn from those schooled there.

Your mind should ever be on Ithaca.
Your reaching there is your prime goal.
But do not rush your journey anywise.
Better that it should last for many years,
and that, now old, you moor at Ithaca at last,
a man enriched by all you gained upon the way,
and not expecting Ithaca to give you further wealth.

For Ithaca has given you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would not have set your course.
There is no more that she can give.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca will not have deceived you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.

Konstantinos P. Kavafis