Recently, while in one of my more daring and adventurous modes, I ventured out into the city only to realize, as I got out onto the highway and reached that point of no return, exactly what time of day it was—and what day it was.
Yup.
I did it.
I went out and put myself right smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon. Yes, cringe in empathy because it wasn’t pretty. Mind you, I don’t live in a huge metropolis like some—I really feel for you that do!—but for my area, it’s still painful. Naturally, the traffic in the direction I was going was flowing and moving along nicely, but the other side? Harumph! Let’s just say it was the overflow parking lot, leading to the overflow parking lot, that led to the parking lot.
Are you feeling my pain yet?
Good! Because it’s vital to understand why I so readily gave into my friend Ego.
From my perspective, there really wasn’t much of an alternative except to go forward, seeing as how I live in a community where all routes come together on this one main east/west route. There are many other ways to go, but at some point, I have to travel this route, whether from the east or the west. So, forward I went, and once I completed my errands, I began the return trip, resigning myself to the joy and comfort of my thankfully air-conditioned vehicle on that very hot summer day.
Only the Universe had a whole different view of the situation!
And quite nicely, I might add, kindly directed my attention to a potential alternative route. Being the grand adventurer that I am—especially when prompted by my best friend, Ego—I sailed down the exit lane.
No, before you get your knickers in a knot, I did not cut back into traffic on the main route at the last minute!
Rather, I stood by my convictions and my certainty that I could exit off and then go up and loop back around, proving myself far more clever than all the rest. True, it might add a little extra distance, but I’d be home faster than those inching along the main route.
I did point out how Ego and I are “good” friends, right?
My Higher Self, of course, gave me a nod and a wink and said, “Discern for yourself what is the better choice.”
Big snort there! What choice, right?
So down the exit lane I went blowing past all those sitting cars and onto the bypass just a-grinning and thinking myself so clever. Only, reality got the last laugh. The side coming back the way I had intended was filled with a line of, yes, parked cars that was three times longer than the line I so gleefully thought I was “by-passing.” My friend in the passenger seat, Ego, immediately pointed out there was yet another potential route home. All was not lost. There was yet another back route I could take that would connect me to the opposite side of the route I’d been traveling. Ego assured me traffic coming up from that direction would be nowhere near as bad as the way I’d been heading. Not wanting to leave that hot fudge sundae of pure BS without a cherry on top, Ego convinced me there might even be a faster route off the brand-new exit, and wouldn’t that be the coup in my clever little miss cap?
Yup, the exit that is still under construction.
Are you feeling my Higher Self’s sense of humor yet? Because she has jokes!
Well . . . I am here to tell you I had plenty of time to savor the sundae I let Ego feed me. There is no way to get to my house during rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon better than that most direct route—parking lot or not. So, while Ego and I are doing the whole scenic route thing, my Higher Self is just kicked back in her recliner smiling and humming, patiently waiting for me to finally figure all of this out. Naturally, my friend Ego is chattering away about how at least I’m moving, how I’m getting to explore, how I’m seeing all kinds of things I would’ve missed if I hadn’t listened to him. All of which was perfectly valid and true and I certainly don’t judge any of those choices as wrong. To the contrary. In fact, about the time I found myself sitting—parked in another line of traffic longer than any line yet, laughing at myself because I had added a whole lot of extra time and distance to my journey—my Higher Self hit the remote on her recliner and straightened up, asking, “So what did you learn?”
Folks, I can tell you the clarity and the lessons I learned from that experience haven’t stopped yet. Every day since I revisit that experience and discover something new. One of the most important things I did learn, though, is that no matter what choice I make, no matter what path I choose, all roads lead home. Granted, some might take longer than others, but there is still much to learn, explore, and grow from in the experience of those choices, too. The second most important thing I learned was to let go of fear—fear that I might make the wrong choice. I discovered there is absolutely no reason to fear…
When all roads lead home!
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