I know of an old lady who looked forward for months to taking a short train journey to visit a relative. When the big day came she boarded the train and set about arranging all the things she’d brought with her, so she could settle back and enjoy the trip. She fiddled with her suitcase, lunch box, thermos flask, book to read, knitting and so on. Then, just as she got to settle back they called out her station and she had to pack it all up again. She said later, “if I’d known we would get here so soon, I wouldn’t have wasted my time fussing around.”
That’s how life is for many of us. We spend our energy getting things ready so that we can settle back and enjoy it, forgetting how short the journey is. That’s why Jesus taught us that the best way to enjoy the journey is to concentrate on the destination.