It was the journey

I zipped my sweatshirt all the way up and tucked my chin in. I felt the chill begin to meet my body as it cooled down. 

“I am ready to go when you are” I said.

“Why don’t you want to stay longer?” He asked. 

It was a brilliant question. We were on a new moon hike. We wore headlamps and embraced the darkness and all that the new moon offered us for reflection. We had been at the top for about 20 minutes and I felt sufficiently complete. It was clear that he wanted to stay. 

Almost a year later, on a solo hike on the same mountain I found my answer. For me, it was never about reaching the top. It wasn’t the goal. It wasn’t what I was seeking. I enjoyed every step. It was the journey in which I derived joy. It was the up, the top and the down that I enjoyed. All of it. I liked it all. I was never seeking the top, I was enjoying the journey.