The human being simply does not have enough fuel in one lifetime to explore every byway that presents itself. If we had a thousand years to live, we could explore every roadside attraction, doing all the little things that appeal to us, and still have time left for realizing the goal of life. But even the most long-lived of us will be given a hundred years at most – and but a fraction of that time before vitality and resolution begin to wane.
People approach spiritual growth in one of two ways: there are the “locals” and the “express” trains. The “locals” stop at every little station along the way to sample the food and enjoy the local color. But the “express” goes straight through to the destination. Fortunately, there seems to be an inner law: we start as “locals” but become “expresses” as we make progress on our journey.
When we take to meditation and put all our heart into practicing spiritual disciplines, we find ourselves speeding towards the goal.