Wednesday, December 3, 2014

ON THE WINDING ROAD...

Sometimes on the highway there's  a warning.

Sometimes you just keep going.

You put on your survival hat and travel down the winding road on foot, on a bike, in an auto, or donning your wings.

Hey, "if you come to a fork in the road, take it." That's what Yogi Berra said.

Why? Probably it's what Berra learned from doing what he did in baseball.

If you don't move down the road, maybe it's because you don't know where the road might be taking you. Even so, take a step, then another, and see whatever is there to see -- the yellow line, cracks in the road, rocks along the side, or maybe the foliage as you look beyond the trees and wonder where you are going.

Here's a remark to remember: "A
person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it," said Jean de la Fontaine, 17th Century French poet whose fables are still quoted nowadays.

Travel lightly -- don't pack all your clothes, your mementos, your special favorite things. The less you carry with you, the easier it is to take strong steps and get from where you are, to another place where you can pause and look around.

Ayn Rand said, "People create their own questions because they are afraid to look straight. All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it -- walk."

Okay, if you're tired, you can't help recalling other long walks that led to empty spots and dead-end places, dark places -- where time was wasted looking for ways to get out, or ways to back out while traveling slowly backwards.



Hey, even moving backwards you are progressing. Back, sideways, forward, or up or down is progressing -- it's life's exercise.

You could quote Hawking, Einstein, Margaret Thatcher, Buddha -- a  lot of major thinkers talk about the roads we travel on. You could sing that song:

"Life is a winding road,
with many twists and turns.
You must make the right choices,
or you will crash and burn.

There is always a chance,
the wrong choice will be chosen.
But do not fret, and do not fear.
The right choice you will hear.

Life is a winding road,
with many different choices.
Be careful what you choose,
for there are many different voices."

Yes, sing but don't judge, attach praise, or fears, or definitions. Be there. Just be there as you go.

7 comments:

Stan said...

Not sure if this is a duplicate. Nice article Em. Frost's "Road Less Traveled." That's the road I prefer. Cheers

Cara said...

Yes! I'm in, always. You've reminded me of the opening line of my memoir, They Only Eat Their Husbands: "Running away is vastly underrated," ( http://www.caralopezlee.com ). You've also reminded me of the song "Everyday is a Winding Road," by Sheryl Crowe, which always makes me eager to face the day or maybe hit the road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khrx-zrG460

Ameer S. Washington said...

Yup, life is definitely a mystery. And while we may not get where we expected to go, standing still definitely wont get us anywhere. I'm on my own winding road, and I think I'm finally starting to find the right direction to go in. Slowly I'm becoming a slave to my passion. I like being a slave to my passion. It is the only thing that makes me happy 100% of the time without fail.

Gary Alan Henson said...

Let me try again, first one didn't work...

Great post, Em!

In my minimalist philosophy:
Be Cool
Be Happy
Be Aware
Be Active
Be!

Gary

Linda Phillips said...

I have traveled many a winding road in my life. I am a major risk taker. I do stop and consider, but I then make my decision...right or wrong...I plow on. If I didn't live my life that way, I would have missed out on so very much. And even if I did take the wrong path, I still got something of value from the choice.

Dustspeck said...

I'm pretty sure it was McKinley Morganfield that said that, "rubber on the wheels is faster than rubber on the heels", but my memory ain't too good; well, as it used to be anyway. I think he was referring to going nowhere in a hurry or with greater ease but I'd rather fly through the air above all the leaves. The path of this ship that's filled with fools is driving itself along a track we should hope; fore if it ever becomes a road, then I'm thinking it's going to suddenly get cold, real cold 'round here. sez Dustspeck

Orianne said...

Great post, thank you for sharing:)

xoxo

Orianne