To Be a Pilgrim by John Bunyan
Who would true Valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will Constant be,
Come Wind, come Weather.
There’s no Discouragement
Shall make him once Relent
His first avowed Intent,
To be a Pilgrim.
Whoso beset him round
With dismal Storys
Do but themselves Confound;
His Strength the more is.
No Lyon can him fright,
He’l with a Gyant Fight,
But he will have a right
To be a Pilgrim.
Hobgoblin, nor foul Fiend,
Can daunt his spirit:
He knows, he at the end
Shall Life Inherit.
Then Fancies fly away,
He’l fear not what men say,
He’l labour Night and Day
To be a pilgrim.
Life is a pilgrimage for those who chose to live and a slow march to the grave for those who prefer to simply exist. A pilgrimage, or a quest for a great moral purpose, is the aperture through which your significance is established. In fact, each day that you live is an opportunity to give expression to the blessings that surge forth from the fountain of life that you are.
As with any pilgrimage, obstacles and pitfalls must be met and overcome on a daily basis. Some days will be harder than others, but if you keep your heart and mind centered on the desire to reveal the highest and finest expression available to you, progress will be certain.
Do you see your life as purposeful journey filled with circumstances that serve as stepping stones or do you feel that you are wandering aimlessly through random experiences that lead nowhere? Where there is clarity of vision, you will flourish.
Your purpose isn’t something that you can cook up while sitting by a fire on a cool winter night. It isn’t something that you can learn from a book and neither is it something that another can outline for you. Your purpose is yours to discover and reveal.
Purpose is made known as you serve others. It is revealed organically. The more you focus on blessing and complementing those around you, the clearer your vision will become. Clarity of vision leads to clarity of purpose.
Take care that your pilgrimage does not end in mediocrity. Embrace life – both the good things and the bad – and make the most creative use of everything that comes your way. You deserve it and so does the world around you!
Gregory Hake 
I always felt an affinity with the pilgrims and pioneers. Looking to make things better for future generations would seem one of the purposes of each generation. Living my life with momentum fueled by a passion to see the earth become a thriving planet not a disintegrating one is a personal choice and one that requires refreshing in every circumstance. It’s actually very practical. Thanks for your words of encouragement to keep moving onward and upward. I read your blog every day.
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Many people get stuck in life when they feel like they’ve arrived, and there’s nothing life to do. I think the analogy of life as a pilgrimage is helpful, because it is an easy way to see why this is damaging. It would be like if you were on a pilgrimage, found a hotel, and decided to stay there forever. There’s a path for each of us, and a natural way to find it.
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Beautiful poem, thank you!
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Thanks Gregg for this post. It defines an uplifting sense of dedication and purpose during a time of year when depression and suicide rates statistically are at their highest. I’ve been enjoying your recent posts – there are ample tools offered that will ensure a successful pilgrimage for one and for all!
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Thank you for a very touching and beautiful post, this website brings such wonderful poems to light. It is amazing how you can see the despair in the eyes of those who are” marching slowly toward their graves”, a lack of vibrancy to say the least. Purposeful living is an art, and you are a great teacher!Your efforts should help spring new wells of blessings and vibrancy from hearts everywhere. If our children could see these wonderful insights in practice from their parents, we may just have a chance in the future! Thanks
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I had not heard that poem before. It really sounds out a noble call. Thank you for sharing it!
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Wonderful post! Thanks!
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