Jerry Garcia Was Wrong
Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead was famous for saying “It’s about the journey, not the destination.”
Garcia was wrong.
There are two possible destinations:
- Eternal perfection.
- Eternal misery.
It’s all about the destination. The destination is all that matters.
The journey matters only insofar as it determines the destination. If you know and pursue the right destination, the journey will be difficult, often painful, often lonely, often frustrating.
Choosing the right destination means unpopularity. It means not being chosen. It means being falsely accused, suspected, and ignored. You won’t be loved. You won’t be consulted. You might be humiliated and despised.
If you choose the wrong destination (or choose not to choose), the world will praise you. The world will extoll you, choose you before others, and say great things about you. You will be popular and sought after.
If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:19)
The road to perdition is wide and comfortable. The road to heaven is rocky, narrow, and steep.
Oh, and you will die. Maybe many years from now. Maybe before you finish reading this post. Who knows?
Do you focus more on the journey or the destination?
If you’d like to focus on the destination, I recommend beginning with the Litany of Humility every day.