kristaphillips 
My girls are Hannah Montana fans (I know… huge shocker there!) A while back, she made “Hannah Montana: The Movie” featuring her song, The Climb.
Confession: I like the song:-)
There’s just something great in the reminder to take in the scenery, to enjoy the ride.
But…
I was watching the HM movie last night with my kiddos (for the thirty-billionth time) and something struck me.
I don’t REALLY agree with the song. “It’s all about the climb…” is how it goes, and while I understand and love the concept … I still think it’s all about the destination.
I’m thinking at the moment about, for example, pregnancy. I don’t mind being pregnant, even though it brings with it morning sickness, back pain, extreme exhaustion, and hours of unbearable pain at the end. There are GOOD things about the climb that I enjoy, though. The feeling of my baby kicking my belly, seeing her move on an ultrasound, the feeling of joy that comes over me at just the thought of my little love growing inside me.
But I don’t go through it for fun of the pregnancy. I go through it because of the little baby I get in the end!
And then there is the writing journey. I love creating, love networking with other writers, am thrilled by putting words onto a page and seeing a story unfold. It’s exhilarating! There are parts I don’t love quite so much, the rejections, the long waits, the emotional lows that come with fear of failure. I determine to enjoy the journey, but … I’ll be honest. I don’t think I would go through it all if I knew there was zero chance of achieving success. Oh, now I know it’s a long shot. But there is hope. There is the dream. There is something I’m reaching for. Without the goal… there wouldn’t be a journey to reach it.
Then there is life in general.
As a believer in Jesus… Heaven is my goal. Being with Jesus for eternity is my ending, and sharing Jesus with the world is my reason for being. The journey on earth is important, and it’s filled with a ton of highs and lows. I’m determined to enjoy the life God has given me, but what God was really impressing upon me is that sometimes we get so wrapped up in ourselves, in trying to “have fun” on the journey that we forget our destination, our purpose. And other times, we get so wrapped up in lamenting about the “crap” part of life that we forget that it’s just temporary, we forget that in the end, God has promised that He will reign victorious.
So, my advice to you this beautiful Friday: Enjoy your climb, but never forget about your destination, otherwise you might trip and fall down your mountain:-)
Discussion: How is YOUR climb these days?
Congrats to T.Anne for winning Roseanna White’s novel, A Stray Drop of Blood.
Interesting thoughts. I do agree, we need to keep our eyes on the destination. It would be silly to forget where we're headed, becase then we might just walk around the mountain, instead of climbing up it. However, I do think we do all our growing and maturing and learning and loving in the midst of the journey. I think both are important. We can't be ALL about either. They should be a packaged deal, me thinks.
Another distinction I've had to make is that publishing may be my ultimate goal for ME, but that doesn't mean it's the right goal for each manuscript I produce. That's hard for me to swallow after pouring so much of my heart and time into each book I write. But as I reread one I'd written several years ago, I realized that it was one I had to write for ME–and for my husband. And that that's enough, that it really doesn't have a place in the publishing world.
But publishing's still the goal, and so I keep working on other books that DO have a place in the industry.
Great post, Krista.
Great thoughts! I love what both Katie and Roseann said. The journey is important…as I am learning while just beginning this trek. And I can't let boulders (manuscripts that I can't let go of) hinder my journey!
Such great points, you guys!
Katie, you are SO right! We learn a ton of stuff on the journey and it's so important! But we need to never forget where we are headed. There are a ton of little mountains to climb on our way to the biggy, and many of those little hills are where we grow/mature, master things in the mean time.
Roseanna, wonderful point as well! And I should have clarified that as well. I totally understand that not all of my books will be published, that publication ISN'T the goal for each of them. Sometimes, just finishing the book is the goal… other times the goal is the spiritual truth we learn during the process. And really, the final goal of my writing journey isn't publication, but it's for my books to be used for God's glory. The good Lord is the only one at the moment, that knows what that looks like.
Sherrinda, those stupid boulders! I totally know what you're saying! I think for me, keeping the eye on my ultimate goal (bring God Glory) helps me to scale those boulders on the journey too:-)
Ah, heaven. Fixing my eyes on heaven. It makes the climb worth it.
~ Wendy
I S.U.R.E. don't do pregnancy for the fun of being pregnant. LOL! You have seen me preggo. It ain't pretty! My whole life is wrapped up in this pregnancy right now. It's like it's my whole entire climb. I'm so tired of nausea, vomiting, pain, medications, checking my weight to see if I have been able to stay the same today, and all that other stuff. I feel like I should have learned something throughout these pregnancies that would make me complain less or handle it better, but it just stinks every time. *sigh* Three more months. *sigh*
Krista, I wish you joy in your journeys–as a mother and as a writer. To me, my writing life is a lot like mothering. (Sherrinda said that so well in her blog post today.) Even though I've "graduated" to Empty Nester with our daughter in college, my job isn't done. I spent the better part of an hour on the phone with The Fashion Queen last night doing the encouraging mom thing. Other days, I'm rejoicing with our gal.
The writing life is filled with hills and valleys too. My goal is not to be so focused on the distant peak of publication that I forget to enjoy the joys along the way. It can be easy to get down–spoken from one in Revision Land–but when I feel a funk coming on, all I have to do is visit blogs and spend time with writer pals like you, and I'm encouraged.
I wish I could take you out to lunch today, get you laughing, and enjoy that great smile of yours. Since that's not possible, I'm giving your a great big cyber (((HUG))).
The road to publication isn't unlike our walk as Christians…keep the destination in view, but don't forget, we're running the race right now, so run well.
Really??? I won???? ACK! I'm soo excited!! I'll scan your blog for an email and send you my addy. Whoo- hoo! OK, it's safe to say you made my day!
About the climb. I'm one of those people who don't really enjoy climbing anything. I'd much rather be teleported to the top and enjoy the view. And yes, I often ask the Lord, are we there yet??? How about we change the lyrics to Miley's song to say, "it's all about getting to our destination in a timely manner."? 😉
Really??? I won???? ACK! I'm soo excited!! I'll scan your blog for an email and send you my addy. Whoo- hoo! OK, it's safe to say you made my day!
About the climb. I'm one of those people who don't really enjoy climbing anything. I'd much rather be teleported to the top and enjoy the view. And yes, I often ask the Lord, are we there yet??? How about we change the lyrics to Miley's song to say, "it's all about getting to our destination in a timely manner."? 😉
Slow at times…. painful, but my eye is on the prize. :O)
http://www.dianeestrella.com
Rocks and boulders keep avalanching and gobbling up time and momentum.
Sigh.
Thanks for the post. I needed it.
Patti
Great post!! While the climb/journey is important, it isn't everything. I think you have to enjoy the journey and you shouldn't do something if you won't. I need something at the end…or in the case of writing, a goal…I need to have something I'm reaching for. I know some writers are content with just writing for themselves and won't even try for publication, but that's not me. I want to share my stories.
I think it is about both. Although in many cases, the best part is the goal/destination. *Guilty confession: I also like the song.
I realized that it was one I had to write for ME–and for my husband. And that that's enough, that it really doesn't have a place in the publishing world.
data entry work from home
Hey!! Where are you today? (Monday!) Missed your post! Hope everything is okay!