The In-Between; It’s Where Life Happens so Embrace it

Life is a journey, not a destination – Anonymous

Life doesn’t happen at the start of an adventure.  Life doesn’t happen at the end of the journey.  Life happens in the “in-between”.

While visiting Yosemite National Park, we attended Return To Balance: A Climbers Journey, a movie of one man’s life adventure as seen through his love of rock climbing.

It’s a story about overcoming adversity.  It’s a story about life’s experiences.  And, it’s a story about finding peace.

I admired the narrator’s ability to capture the power of those singular moments as his fingertips clung to a sheer wall of granite, 1,000 feet above the valley floor.  How he took the time to savor the present, and to be thankful for the challenge.

From Return To Balance: A Climbers Journey:

“It’s not about making it to the top, it’s about the journey up the rock. Focused on every handhold. Every leg lift. The balance, and the rock. Feeling the wind. Hearing the river below. Hearing the eagle soar by. 

It’s in those moments that you’re alive. That you’re aware.  When you’re fully present. When you’re fingers feel every groove of the rock and your toes balance on the tiniest of holds. Yet your balance keeps you glued to the rock, and your hands moves effortlessly from hold, to grip, to hold.”

What is the In-Between?

Life happens while you’re scaling that next challenge.  Life happens when you’re looking for the next hand hold to move one-inch closer to the top.  Life happens when you’re “in-between” the start and the finish.

The in-between is where we live our lives.  It’s where we suffer and where we rejoice.  The beginning and the end of any journey are overrated.  They are just brief moments of time, mile markers on the marathon of life.

Maybe it’s an overused analogy, but life is a marathon.  I can relate because I’ve run seven of them.  I remember the day I decided to run my first marathon.  It was exciting and energizing, but the “beginning” of that race journey didn’t compare to the “end”.

The finish line was exhilarating.  The cheering crowds, the high-fives, the blowing horns, the cow bells, the cheers and the final lunge across the finish line.

But the majority of life isn’t like the start line, or raising your hands at the finish.  It’s more like the 16+ weeks of race prep – the in-between.

The in-between for marathon prep is about training your body, your mind and your spirit to finish the race STRONG.

It’s the commitment to the early morning runs, the increased mileage, the stretching, the strength training, the speed work, the diet and the recovery time.

Its about pushing thru the pain, embracing the suck and growing faster and stronger every day.

It’s about knowing your goal and working tirelessly towards it.  It’s about having discipline and stamina and the desire to finish what you started.

The In-Between Is About Each Moment

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 

As I’ve realized that life can be short, too short, I’ve come to appreciate that it’s the in-between that matters the most.  It’s the daily habits and the simple, easy to ignore decisions that determine how many races I start and how many finish lines I cross.  

I’ve come to understand that every moment and every decision impacts the course of my life.

It’s the in-between that determines who I am and what I achieve.  It’s the in-between that defines and shapes my character.

Like the rock climber, I’ve grown to appreciate the scaling of the rock as the place to embrace, and to be thankful for.  Because it’s in the in-between that I have the opportunity to grow, and to overcome my limitations.

One of my favorite quotes about life is by Shauna Niequest:

“Life is a collection of a million, billion moments, tiny little moments and choices, like a handful of luminous, glowing pearls. And strung together, built upon one another, lined up through the days and the years, they make a life, a person.”

My wish for you is that you enjoy each pearl, because that is your life.  You can choose to live each moment the way you please.  It’s up to you, make the most of it.

Be Wise & Successful…

1. Be Aware.  Build 15 minutes into your schedule once a week to ask yourself the following:  1.  What did I accomplish this week?  2.  What would I have done differently?  3.  What do I want to achieve during the upcoming week?

2. Be Present.  Build the habit of “being present” in every moment.  Remind yourself often to take a big deep breath, and to be aware of your body and how you’re feeling.  Most importantly, look into the eyes of the people that are in front of you, and focus on what they are saying.  Be mentally present in all your relationships.

3. Be Grateful.  Build an attitude of gratitude no matter the occasion.  Every time you feel challenged or discouraged, train you mind to be thankful for at least one thing.