Many things in life we can plan and reasonably get the exact outcomes we expected. But much of life is also unplanned – sending us down many roads we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves. Yet it’s often through these unplanned places that we discover many joys and rich meaning we would’ve missed otherwise.
Of course, there’s wisdom in having a general plan and direction for our life. Too many become ineffective by merely drifting passively through life. But life can also become dry and rigid when we attempt to plan every step along the way.
Much of life is discovered on the journey with all the many twists and turns that come our way. In big and small ways, this is part of the adventure that can’t be planned ahead of time
For instance, the point of reading a book is not just to learn the main thesis of the author. We can easily find a summary of these facts without having to read the book itself. But, in reading the book, we go on a journey with the author. As such, a passing thought or example might cause us to think about something completely unrelated to the point the author is making, but deeply meaningful to us all the same. And this is the point of reading – for the totality of the experience and not just to highlight the main points.
And the same is true throughout our life and relationships. The point is not to limit ourselves to predictable and pre-planned outcomes. Rather, we go on the journey and let the journey change us with all we couldn’t plan along the way. We don’t give up our vision and ultimate goals in life. But we continue to live by faith by opening ourselves up to the adventures of life we did not plan and cannot control.
In the end, don’t miss the many hidden treasures of life you couldn’t plan for ahead of time. Courageously embrace the spirit of adventure and let the journey change you.
Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash
