The Joy of Arriving

By Jorim-Paul Phillips 31 July 2017, 12:00AM

Nothing is more annoying than an uncomfortable flight. Spending hours next to strangers in a flying tin can, whizzing far across the sky, while wishing for a nice comfortable bed (and not a chair that only reclines a few centimeters). And the crying baby in the isle behind you doesn’t help either.

This is a common occurrence when you fly. You spend so much money to go somewhere and then the journey there ends up being a real pain. This ends up making your trip harder and less enjoyable.  But who said that journeys are ever easy? Not everyone gets the privilege to fly first class (which does have it problems at times). So when the person behind you starts kicking your chair, you learn how to deal with it.

You learn how to endure the hardships and the struggle because you have already come all this way. Dealing with these problems is vital for a successful journey because it ends up making the destination more rewarding. The moment you step out of that plane, away from the crying babies and uncomfortable seats, you are immediately overcome with joy. The joy of arriving. 

Life is a mess. It’s full of broken promises, unfulfilled expectations and gut-wrenching problems. And just like a messy room, many people would rather avoid it or ignore it. When we decide to do that and hide every time we face a problem, it inhibits us from reaching our full potential; as well as our destination.

A lot of times we have a picturesque idea of how our journey is going to unfold and quite often at times we neglect to add in the fact that we will most likely face problems. And this is dangerous to begin with because you are more likely to be unprepared. A good example of this is when you forget to pack earplugs, so now you’re left listening to the deafening snores protruding from the mouth of the overweight man next you. Trust me, it sucks.

Now that we have established why facing your problems are important, let’s go over a few benefits that come from dealing with the ‘snoring man’ beside you in seat 16c. First of all (and probably the most important) is that it makes the destination more rewarding. After you have endured the 40 “joyous” centimeters of on-board living space that you are ever so generously given, the thought of getting out becomes our main focus.

The moment your foot hits the tarmac, you immediately feel better and you begin to appreciate where you are and how you’re not stuck in that crammed metal bird. Secondly, you learn to be more prepared for next time. Being equip with all the right equipment will ensure that you get the best out of your trip and will therefore also make the journey more bearable. Never again will I forget my earplugs, that’s for sure.

What’s more is that you can solve your problems your own way! You can decide whether or not the journey will be fun. It all depends on your mindset and how you react to things.

Finally, you end up with a story to tell. A tale of victory describing your triumph over all those finite problems that life throws at you. Your testimony can also have big impact on others. It could empower them to rise above their problems and actually get to their destination. 

With all the airplane references aside, what I am saying is true. You cannot hide when things do not go your way. Problems are just obstacles waiting to be overcome. Everyone’s goals in life are accomplished when they decide to press on, to overcome adversity and to start living life for them.

You can’t enjoy a journey if you don’t want to go to the destination. And just like in life, if you don’t choose the right path, you will end up having more problems than you should actually have. Problems are meant to be faced just like how a matador faces his opponent, head-on and by the horns. Once you understand this, there will be nothing holding you back from reaching your destination. So fly straight and remember to pack your earplugs.

By Jorim-Paul Phillips 31 July 2017, 12:00AM
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