I just watched on of the BBC’s series of Wainwright’s walks, this one on the Coast to Coast walk, with Julia Bradbury, and was struck by the quote by Wainwright from his book:

“One should always have a definite objective, in a walk as in life – it is so much more satisfying to reach a target by personal effort than to wander aimlessly….life without ambition is…well, aimless wandering.”

Alfred Wainwright “A Coast to Coast Walk”

This attitude of a ‘definite objective’ seemed to contrast a bit with the Celtic monks attitude that it was enough to wander ‘aimlessly’ for the love of Christ, presumably because Jesus could be relied upon to guide and make sense of the journey.

“A.D. 891. … And three Scots came to King Alfred in a boat without any oars from Ireland;  whence they stole away, because they would live in a state of pilgrimage, for the love of God, they recked not where.

The boat in which they came was made of two hides and a half; and they took with them provisions for seven nights; and within seven nights they came to land in Cornwall, and soon after went to King Alfred.  They were thus named: Dubslane, and Macbeth, and Maelinmun.”

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

I think that, in reality I travel a journey that’s somewhere between the two, with definite objectives and ambitions which are hopefully influenced by my faith in Jesus and listening to his guiding voice, in whatever way that comes.

What about you?