How I Found the Meaning of Life in a Japanese Garden

Either you discover your path, or it will find you

Either you discover your path — or it will find you

“Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.”

— Confucius

Wherever you are, you are on the right track.

My wife and I are not fans of Chicago’s weather. But, we don’t complain. We’ve been living here for over six years now. When the winter finally goes away, we love to celebrate.

That’s precisely what we did this morning — we went for a long walk at the Chicago Botanic Garden. We wanted to kiss winter goodbye.

The Japanese garden is one of our favorites parts. It’s full of life metaphors. A reminder that nothing is an accident.

Japanese garden designs are very deliberate — every element has purpose and meaning.

Wandering around those trails is an invitation to reflect on the path of life.

“Traveler, your footprints are the road, nothing else.
Traveler, there is no road;
you make your own path as you walk.
As you walk, you make your own road,
and when you look back
you see the path you will never travel again.”

— Antonio Machado

Experiencing a Ja…