I have recently updated my car and in the first few months have travelled nearly five thousand kilometres. My car is comfortable and roomy and I am learning about its intricacies. We are making a connection. It’s my mode of transport to get from A to B.
I feel this journeying frequently by car is a mirror of my life. A life of the wanderer. Briefly in different places and always mindful of the next part of my journey. Sometimes I wonder what is behind my lack of stability and certainty. It used to worry me, but now I have come to accept that this is how my life makes sense. I have come to embrace its transient nature.
So with all this travel, what reflections have I noted: –
1. As in life, there are all types of fellow drivers who share the road with us. The fast and the slow. Those for whom the road is familiar while others are new to the route. Some drivers are cautious, others risk takers or get distracted. We are all seeing the journey from our own unique perspective. Yet we are all also sharing this common pathway of the road. At times it presents us with moments of negotiating and compromise. We navigate overtaking safely and being aware of others and our surroundings.
2. Sometimes we travel with others, sometimes on our own. There are benefits for both. If we travel alone we make our own decisions about how long we take and where we stop. We choose our own music or decide to enjoy the solitude. Travelling together we can have conversations, help each other navigate the way, share the experience, and create lasting memories.
3. The roadway changes along the way. Sometimes we find ourselves changing direction. We come to a fork in the road or T intersection requiring us to decide between alternatives.
Robert Frost in his famous poem – The Road Not Travelled, reflects on the decisions made as we come to diverging paths. Once we have set our course we rarely look back to test the alternative we have not chosen. More likely the new path takes us onto ever changing vistas ahead. If it is an unfamiliar path it has the potential to surprise us with new experiences along the way.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.
Even on our current pathway hazards can appear. Road works, obstacles such as wide loads and narrow bridges to navigate. Just as in life, these are unexpected obstacles and diversions.
How do we navigate these changes? Our senses switch on. We become more observant and conscious of our surroundings. We examine the alternatives to come up with the decision that feels right to take. We adjust to what we are experiencing. In doing so, we build our skills and strategies for future reference.
4. To focus on the journey or the destination. The decision to take the scenic route versus the quickest route to our destination. Do we stop for longer, find new places to rest and revive. Perhaps stay overnight along the way to explore a part of the trip in more depth. Taking our time can allow us to live more fully and savour experiences. We need to ask ourselves what is the purpose of our journey? Can we slow it down at times?
5. The shortest route may not always be the best. – the dirt road alternative. Sometimes the secondary roads take us to our destination in less distance. We may see that as beneficial to the overall trip time. Yet these diversions may be bumpy and uncomfortable to undertake. We may risk damaging our vehicle or windscreen by choosing these alternatives. If we break down on an out of the way path it may take time for other traffic to pass by or come to our rescue.
Sometimes in life we can make a personal choice, the longer more stable path versus the bumpy, shorter path to where we wish to go. The former path can offer more ease and predictability. Yet sometimes we have no alternative to the latter. It is then that we need to summon our courage to navigate the rocky path.
6. You never know what’s around the corner. Each moment of our journey is relevant. We can give gratitude for what we are currently experiencing. We can also venture around the bend and embrace the next vista. Each time it is an unknown, yet all of our previous experience gives us tools to navigate what we find.
Whether driving in our car or navigating each new day, we are continually experiencing change in our lives. It requires both awareness and decision making on a reasonably constant basis. Embrace gratitude for the present moment on your journey. It is unique and unrepeatable. Then find courage to explore the vista that emerges around the next bend.