Are we there yet?
I remember the long road trips when me and my brothers would play games to pass the miles. We counted the mileposts on the side of the highway. We had maps on our laps, looking ahead to where we wanted to go and what we would pass along the way.
There were measurements on the routes along the way, with estimates on how many hours it would take to go between different cities. One brother would find something, and then pass it around to the rest of us to consider.
Are we there?
Are we done?
Are we finished?
Have I got to the end?
On Saturday December 7th, I finished my black belt training. I am Sensei Murphy in Krav Maga martial arts. I did it. I am there.
Yet it is not the end. Not done or finished.
I remember graduating with my Bachelors’ degree after so many years. I felt so sad that I couldn’t take more classes. I was had done it, but I didn’t want to be done learning. It turned out I could, I just had to look harder for them. I had run past the edge of the map
Years ago, Chris and I climbed Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. He got sick, but I went on with the rest of the climbing party. We got to the crest, and I saw over to the other side. That’s as far as I would go that time. We turned around before reaching the pinnacle.
I know I have more to achieve if I went to climb it again.
I have so much more I want to achieve. In each of these areas.
Like that the Whitney crest, these different accomplishments got to a natural stopping point. I can put it down for a moment, but I’m not done exploring or having adventures. I am going to see what is past my known world