The Road Relentlessly Traveled

There are many songs that contain metaphors about life.  For example, "Life is like a river, ever changing as it flows" (Garth Brooks), or "Life is a highway, I'm gonna ride it all night long" (Most recently Rascal Flats). I even saw a bumper sticker along this vein very recently. It said "Perhaps you are diagonally parked in a parallel universe?"

I recently attended the Winter Wellness Forum in Sedona Arizona. We were lead through a masterful and hilarious discussion on "Life as a Road".  I awoke at 5:00 a.m. with this theme stuck in my head. Here is my attempt to organize these thoughts into what I have called, the Road Relentlessly Traveled.

The Gift
We are all given a vehicle when we are born. Each vehicle is a unique blend of mind, body and spirit and each is uniquely tailored to our needs. Most of us receive wheels that are balanced, an engine that is tuned, wipers to clear the tears of heaven and lights that shine just to the edge of unknown. It is our innate responsibility to maintain the vehicle and it is our priviledge to settle upon our own goal with respect to the road.

The Goal
It has been said that life is a journey.  There are some who can relax and enjoy the ride but there are many who just want to get there. The goal determines to a great extent how we experience the road. For example, there are inevitable detours along the road.  I once experienced an unexpected detour through Zions National Park in southern Utah. At first I was annoyed because I just wanted to "Get there". Within moments though, my annoyance gave way to awe as I contemplated the majestic contours of the land. When my goal switched from destination to journey, I was able to experience joys of the road that I could not have seen before.

The Challenges
Like the ever present detour, there are other challenges. Sometimes, we are forced to, or even choose to take an off-ramp and exit the road of life for awhile. And it is only by doing so that we can experience the rest stops, the scenic vistas, and the eclectic diners where we can connect with our fellow travelers. Having taken an off-ramp, it also becomes our choice to approach the on-ramp and reengage on the road of life.

There are potholes that can throw of us off balance. Potholes and deterioration lead to road construction. Construction workers are brave souls who place their lives in jeopardy to improve the road for those who follow. Next time you are slowed by road construction, think about those who are behind you and then honk, wave and/or blow kisses to those blessed workers.

The Rules
At times the rules tell us to slow down, to stop, to yield, or to merge. There is even a rule that tells us not to travel too fast. Most importantly, we can only travel one way.

The Blessing
Traveling the road can be a joyous, exhilarating experience if we carefully select the correct goal.  May your mile markers foster celebration rather commiseration.