Apr 19

Written by: Current Students
4/19/2011 8:32 AM 

There is a story of a young, but earnest Buddhist student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years.” The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast — How long then?” The Master replied, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” The Master replied, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”

The saying, its the journey, not the destination, is cliché, but, like most clichés, its true.

For a long time I feel that I have been waiting for life to begin. I thought life would begin when I started high school. I thought life would begin when I got my license. I thought life would begin when I turned 18. Recently I have been thinking that life will finally begin when I get to university. There seems to always be some obstacle in the way, some unfinished business. Although I know that where I began is not as important as where I will end up, but neither are as important and how I got there.

I can’t deny, that since September I’ve counted down the days until convocation. But it’s really in this past month when I was so focused on graduating that it finally dawned on me that by focusing on the destination that it is easy to forget about the journey and how I got to this point. I now have a perspective that has helped me to see that the path as the goal. That it’s the journey and not the destination that matters. Life is never prefabricated and one never knows what will come up.  We all just have to go with it and see it through until we reach a certain understanding of the importance of the path and not just simply the destination.

I realize now how much I treasure every moment that I have had here at Albert. I have enjoyed every minute of the journey.

I can’t even count the amount of lessons I’ve learned here.  I realize that it’s the Albert College path that has shaped me as a person. And there are many important lessons that I learned along the way.

To cherish the people who make you laugh.

To think critically.

To disregard biases.

To give credit to those who deserve it.

That history never repeats itself.

That a team can be a family.

That age is secondary when it comes to friendships.

To tell the truth. It is vital and in most instances will grant you a second chance.

To fail is a part of life.

To accept help.

That my parents are right all the time.

To accept that you may not always receive something in return but to give anyway.

To handle responsibility.

To say thank-you.

That actions speak louder then words.

To set high standards in life.

And to make every day worth looking forward to.

And those are just a few. The education which I have received at Albert College and the opportunities which come along with being part of our community has rendered, and will continue to render, the possibilities limitless, so why fixate on a destination? Every step we take unfolds new opportunities, new possibilities, new challenges but also new rewards. So why not savor and celebrate every step? When we realize that the path is the goal everything is workable. The daily evolution of our understanding and experiences help us to grow. All of this is exciting, uncharted and worthwhile.

I truly appreciate that while I have been busy doing many things here at Albert, I have accumulated a great deal of knowledge and wisdom. I have become proud of my journey and feel that I have fulfilled my full potential. All I can say is Thank-you for the opportunity.

I will conclude my chat today with an anonymous quote: “I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude that the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?”

By Current Grade 12 Student, C.G.G.