An odd title for my blog, but it struck me as a good metaphor for life as I watched a Christmas movie set on a train. Through the trip, passengers experienced joy and despair, frustration and hope, connection and disconnection. As is typical in these movies something unexpected happens that throws plans awry, in this case a storm which literally stopped the train on the tracks. At the end of the movie, one character muses that the train trip is not just about the destination but the journey as well.

Looking back over my life, in my journey to be a healer of the spirit, I have been reminded that it is a both/and experience. I am both a student learning what a healer of the spirit is, and a teacher, living as a healer in my interactions, blog writings, and more. Coming to this understanding took time. As a trained engineer, for a good part of my life I focused on the destination and wanted to get there as quickly as possible. By narrowly focusing on the destination, though, I was missing out on living the present and experiencing all it has to offer.

Over the last two years, the pandemic became an opportunity to slow down and experience each moment. Like the train passengers, the moments included frustration, resentment, and depression but also excitement, joy, and passion. Likewise, I’ve had my own “storms that stopped me in my tracks,” as it were, most notably being laid off and having a stroke. Gratefully, I was able to use them as moments to reassess how I was living. Was I putting my energy to what was most important and meaningful?

What has your journey been like over these last years? Have you been only focused on the destination? Have you been able to turn moments of disruption into opportunities to reassess your goal and even your dreams? Likely some of the disruption might have been caused by pain, hurt, and loss. It’s important that you honor those feelings. I do believe, though, that from them can come new perspectives that pave the way to unexpected opportunities.

As you travel your train of life, may you know that you are not alone, as others travel with you, even as they travel on their own.