The joy is in the journey

In my descent down the mountain towards Asheville, and perhaps it can be said, towards civilization, it occurred to me that there is more joy in the journey than the destination. I know this has been said a thousand times over by people far more important than me, but there’s a difference between saying it, hearing it and knowing it to be true. The Blue Ridge Parkway is, to me, one of the most fascinating, indirect and winding roads one can take leading down, across, over and under the mountains. I took the Parkway for about half the time on the drive from Boone to Asheville. Every few miles there were turnoff signs, heralding another great short hike to another overlook of another mountain. And I wanted to see them all. There were some amusing signs, such as the ones proclaiming “high collision zones” on particularly treacherous stretches of the road (and showing a comical stick figure falling off his motorcycle and waving his arms in the air – I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it!). And there were some tempting signs for apple orchards, waterfalls and rest stops. In other words, the signs were everywhere pointing me towards the simple fact that sometimes it’s more important to discover what’s along the way rather than what is waiting at the destination.

I had to choose my battles (turnoffs) and manage my time (dwindling) and in the end it was too bright for any really stellar and successful photography. I finally reached Asheville near sunset after exiting the Parkway via the dizzying plunge down to more populated roads with higher speed limits and less opportunities for getting distracted. And though I didn’t have much in the way of photos to share (I made up for it with some cool ones when I got to Asheville) I did take home with me a revelation about this trip. Every place I’ve stopped and stayed has felt like a temporary resting ground on a greater journey, not a final destination in itself. And so these seven weeks have become for me truly what I had hoped - a constant journey with no real destination other than to come full circle and reach home again. There is a deeper message in that than I can explore right now. But suffice it to say that I like having no ending right now, and also no purpose - a huge and welcome change from my typical lifestyle that came at just the right time. And while I certainly have places I need to be, the time in the early mornings and late evenings, the weekends and the odd hour or two are mine to explore, to sit, to relax, to work, to be. Just to be.

for more pictures of Asheville, click on http://www.jacquelynnbuck.com/asheville/index.html

city in the heart of the mountains