Eastbound and Down

The other day, I was driving down the road with a friend when a song came to mind.

The lyrics of this song are as follows:

"East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'

We gonna do what they say can't be done

We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there."

I used to drive an 18-wheeler, and this song was a favorite among truckers for obvious reasons.

That line, “we’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there,” really resonates with my life. I often feel like I have a long way to go and not enough time to get there.

Part of finding serenity for me is realizing that the race is with myself; I don’t need to try to beat anyone else—except for the GPS, as I strive to arrive before my estimated time, even if it’s just a minute early. Ultimately, I need to remind myself that I don’t have to keep up with the Joneses; I don’t need what they have. This realization leads me to the next part of my journey toward serenity: being content. I’ve found that I cannot experience serenity when I focus on what I lack or what I don’t have enough of. True peace and serenity come when I am thankful for what I have in that moment.

Recently, I had an elderly friend diagnosed with a terminal illness. As he lay in bed, he said to me, “Dean, I thought I’d have more time.” This man was in his late 70s. In case you didn’t know, you don’t look at an elder on their deathbed and say, “You’re old; how many years did you think you’d have left?!”

So, instead, I asked him, “What is something you’d do differently?”

He thought for a long while and replied, “I’d start slowing down and taking in those moments. I dreamed about being married and rushed through my single days. I dreamed about having kids and rushed through our newlywed days. Then we dreamed of being empty nesters and rushed through the kid years. We dreamed about retirement and rushed through our working years.” He choked back tears and smiled, saying, “I wouldn’t wait until I was at the end to slow down.” I absorbed every wise word he shared, and I am choking back tears as I write them to you.

True serenity for me is slowing down, taking a deep breath, being thankful, and enjoying the moment.

Take what you like, and leave the rest.