Winding Paths of Uncertainty

Winding roads of Morgan County

This morning on my way to work from Morgan County, I drove through a long section of very heavy fog. The roads that I have become accustomed to traveling in the day and even in the night, became scarey to me because of my lack of visibility. Imagine the roads in the pictures above covered with white blankets of fog so thick that you can only see pink where the red tail lights are less than fifty feet in front of you.

Coming from Louisiana, the very flat south, I was not used to driving on roads that ran in between mountains and up and down curvy inclines. Sometimes all that separates you from the cliff's drop-off is a flemsy guard rail that looks like it has taken a beating several times before.

Driving is typically quite therapeutic for me and I enjoy my time alone to think, sing, and be at peace. While I usually delve deep into my own personal world, I was forced to remain in the earthly realm and focus on the road. This morning, the depth of my consciousness was denied and instead I stumbled upon a simple nugget of truth.

As I cautiously moved down the highway, I realized that going through a heavy fog is a lot like going through life. Thinking about these similarities brought about many empowering ideas. The following lists (yes, I like lists) are a few examples of how I rationalized that the two were similar. Perhaps not a profound message here for some, but for me, these are things that sometimes I need to hear... even if I must tell myself.

In heavy fog:

You can't see the road ahead very well at all.
You can't see your landmarks, or tell if you're close.
You may not feel safe.
You have to use good judgment when deciding to continue on.
It may be necessary to go another way.
You can stay on the road if you follow the center line.
You can get there in one piece if you take it slow and stay alert.

In life:

You don't always know where your path will take you.
You may feel lost and unsure even on the right path.
You won't always feel completely secure, but sometimes you have to be brave.
Convenient and easy decisions may not always be good decisions;

choose wisely.
Original plans may not work; it's okay to change your mind and

go a different way.
Keep your focus on your goals, plan to succeed, and enjoy your journey.
Determination to reach your goals and

attention to your priorities will be keys to success.

The above statements are all true as per my own experiences.

Sometimes I need to feel validated for the experiences I've had thus far and sometimes I feel the need to explain why things didn't work out as I had originally thought they would. Ultimately, I've decided that the journey of life is just that... a journey... with winding paths of uncertainty, steep hills of doubt, climbing peaks of pure will-power, and sometimes even long, straight, wide-open paths that seem too good to be true.

For all of you who needed a pick me up today.

Here's one for both of us.

Enjoy the entire journey.