We all have a dream, an ambition, a goal – call it whatever you want. In the end, what matters most is the journey towards our destination. If we leave before we even set forth on our trip, we will never reach the end of it. And everything is bound to be futile and worthless.
When I think about all of the things that I want to accomplish in my life, from simple out-of-town excursions to my improbable I-can-change-this-world aspirations, I always end up asking myself where to start. And that question will linger, playing over and over, and then over and over again. And like any other ‘hopeless dreamer,’ contented to spend his/her life inside his/her own fantasies, I simply quit looking for an answer.
One day, in a teambuilding class, we were asked to choose between two teams with different ‘missions’ for that day’s orienteering activity. One group will have to pass through the confusing path of a standard MAZE while the other will have to take the arduous climb to the top of a TOWER. Having heard that the tower is around an hour of walk away from the campsite, I chose the Maze Team. And so our journey began.
Around 30 minutes into the activity, while our team was deep into the labyrinth of oversized grasses and roots, it started to drizzle, and then it rained. It was probably the thought of getting wet that created such great chaos and confusion among our members. We started running in all directions and before we knew it, we have already lost each other. The catch is that we cannot leave the maze alone; we have to leave it together. So that’s how we lost. An hour later, I reached the end of the maze, the other team watching me and my teammates emerging from the sea of greens one by one, despondent.
That’s when I started thinking, had I chosen the straight path leading to the top of the tower, I would not have ended up a loser. But, contradicting myself, I also thought that if it didn’t rain, or if the rule didn’t require a team effort, I could have easily won the race.
And so I asked myself again, which is the better path to success?
If I choose a similar route as that of the maze, much of my time will be spent on trying to figure out which direction I should turn to; I will not be able to see the end clearly, as obstacles will be blinding my vision; and I might end up wasting half of my life moving forward, only to retrace my steps backward with one wrong turn. When I finally reach the end, it might be too late.
If I choose to struggle and push myself to the limit, eyeing the very ambitious peek of a tower, I’m afraid that I might not be strong enough to hold on until the end and collapse halfway through my ascent. The fall is definitely going to be hard. I would be hurt and may not be able to stand up again. If worse comes to worst, I might even lose my life, along with all my dreams and aspirations.
Ever since that lost, I began asking my friends, acquaintances, and even strangers I met along the way that very same question and I was surprised to get wonderful resolve from all of them. Each answer is unique, influenced by their personalities and world views.
One very religious friend argued that even if it takes time, traversing the twist and turns of a maze would be an acceptable test to her faith. She said that her God would never let her astray and will guide her to the right direction as long as she remains faithful until the end- just like how Jesus stayed faithful when Satan tempted Him for forty days.
Meanwhile, a very easy-going friend gave me a simple statement. She chose the tower for the simple reason that she wanted to enjoy the journey. With the amazing view, the blue sky above and the grand landscape below that will flood her vision; she said that she only wanted to feel free.
Another has given me an answer with set conditions. He said that if he could go back down anytime, he would choose the tower; or if he could have a compass, he would choose the maze. I have known him to be a very meticulous, thinking person who does not like taking risks.
Come to think of it, all of the people I have asked have given me different perspectives on my personal dilemma of finding the best path to success that instead of finding an answer, I ended up switching from one point of view to another. I have to admit that up until now, I’m still searching for the best answer. But on second thought, maybe I am not really, whole-heartedly looking for one. Perhaps after all the questioning I have already realized that we all have a dream, an ambition, a goal – call it whatever you want. But in the end, it is not really important what kind of dream we have, what matters most is how we would be journeying towards our respective destinations. Our chosen paths may be different from one another but the important thing is that we have to start somewhere. Because if we leave before we even set forth on our trip, we will never reach the end of it. And everything is bound to be futile and worthless.
Q: What do you think? Are you going to choose the confusing path of a maze or are you willing to bet your life on the strenuous climb up to the top of a tower?
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