Wisdom at 70

That's 70 MPH of course.  Not 70 years.  I do some of my best thinking in the car.  I have been blessed with children who love to ride (and they do, just sit there and look out the window, it still amazes me) and I was having one of those moments, good music on the radio, (the Father plays the Knickknackpaddywhack Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah crap...I can't stand that while I'm in the car...he's such a good soul,) nice day for driving, and I saw this amazing stream of wonderful life metaphors rolling past me as I drove.

It's funny really.  I'm struggling with where to go to find my life map, my spiritual Triptik complete with notes on how long it's supposed to take to get through each leg of my journey, warnings about where many have gotten lost before, and hints on the best places to stop along the way.  I have friends who head out on Sunday mornings for their directions, others who look to ancient maps to keep them on the right course, and still more who don't even realize they're lost.  All in the name of being comfortable, it's not like me to head out without some sort of plan in most areas of my life, but in my car I feel powerful and so I was struck this day as I drove.

I feel like being in the driver's seat affords me some status and that the road has been put there for me to use.  This life's trajectory I own because it's the one I put myself on and keep myself on seems to be suiting me just fine, but I stop trusting it when I hear so many of the people I love talk about how there is a higher hand guiding their decisions, helping them choose their path.  Am I one of those people who's off course but don't realize it?  Dunno.  Really.

I remember once many years ago when my sister and I were headed to an Outlet Mall in Western Massachusetts that I had never been to before.  Her last words as we got into the car were, "Did you bring the directions?"  My response to her shocked face was, "No.  But there will certainly be a sign.  There's always a sign if it's something worth knowing about."

I'm headed in a direction.  Only time will tell if  I could benefit from some help in determining my course.  But the signs, they nudge you a bit.  Remind you of things if you're looking out for them.  Steer you back towards the middle if you drift.  So I looked at the signs.  Saw them in a new way.  And read what they were telling me.

Oh, if it were only that simple.  But this is a most basic direction for life, so I thought I'd begin here.

I've come up to this sign so many times before and simply slowed.  The familiar intersection that you've been through so many times before that it lulls you into a feeling of safety.  The same fight you have over and over about something that seems so safe.  The big red sign on this one hints of danger but not enough to make you realize how quickly things can change.  Stop.  Just Stop.

Sometimes you just need to give way.  Because you don't see what's coming at you.  Because it's coming faster than you're going.  Because you've got your hands full with the cargo you're carrying and you're not equipped to pay as close attention as you're going to need to in order to be safe.  Just give way.

Most of the time you can find someplace to pull over, but then there are those times when you just have to keep going.  Even when the conditions are not ideal.  Not safe.  When your equipment seems to be failing.  They give you this sign to let you know it's temporary.  The section of your journey when you're on your own will be over soon.  You will have a shoulder to pull over and cry on.  Sometimes it's a soft shoulder.  Often it's a hard one.  But it's coming.

Yep.  There's always a sign.  I think this topic is bigger than just this post, but I'm gonna follow this track for awhile and see where it leads me...because that's what I do.  Follow me, I'll send you a sign.