The Road That Led Me Here...

Have you ever thought deeply about how on earth you got from where you started to where you are today? Do you ever find yourself asking, "What if I had taken that other path?" Or, "What would my life be like if I hadn't gone that way?" Our individual journeys from birth to death are each an amazing and different highway that gets each person to a different destination.

My particular road that led me here has not been a "Super Highway" by any stretch of the imagination. Nor has it been a back-woods, dusty road. No, my road, probably like many of yours, has been one filled with pot-holes, detours, bumps, hills and a variety of forks-in-the-road. It has not even been a straight road, but one encumbered with sharp turns, gradual turns, hair-pin turns and maybe, no turns at all.

I started this journey in the company of a good mother, an honorable father and a big brother who lived and loved to tease his little sister! I think he must have spent all night dreaming of ways to "get my goat" and then carrying out his plans in the daylight hours. Except for these minor bumps in the road, my early years were spent on a relatively straight path. Fortunately for me, those traveling with me could read the warning signs along the way and took no chances with unfamiliar, though tempting side-trips.

As I grew and began to pull away from the protection of my loving parents, and charted my own coarse as a somewhat "rebellious" teenager, the opportunity to travel "solo" presented itself. It was at that time that I discovered that the "less traveled" road was pretty boring. That's when I came to my first "fork-in-the-road"! Do I take the boring, less traveled route? Or travel down that very tempting, well-worn path that "everyone else" was traveling down?


Which way to go? Unfortunately for me (or fortunately, depending on how one looks at these kinds of decisions) I chose the "path of least-resistance" or the well-worn path as my first solo adventure. I was choosing independently, ignoring the warning signs that told of dangers ahead.

For a good while, the road seemed to be a lot of fun and didn't present any problems for me. I made a lot of friends along the way, because the road was a busy one and quite crowded at times. My new friends and I had a lot of fun, and I thought to myself, "this is a good road!" And then the first "pot-hole" appeared. It took me by surprise, and I tripped and fell head-long into it! Those friends that I had made along the way just stood by, laughed and went their merry way to let me work myself out of this "pit!" These pot-holes of bad decisions turned out to be quite a nuisance! But I did crawl out, picked myself up and caught up with my "friends"!

No sooner had I finished patting myself on the back for having accomplished this feat and getting back on the road, that I found myself right in the middle of an extremely muddy, washed out portion of the road. Most of my friends were wading right through the middle of it and making it to the other side, but I noticed that they didn't come up on the other side without getting really, really dirty and soiled. It was at this point that I sat myself down, watched my friends muddy themselves, and thought long and hard about my dilemma. "There's got to be another way around this mess," I thought.

And so, I began to look for another detour. I looked around me and found there was another way that I could go. So alone, with no friends to follow me, I set out on yet another journey. I thought, "Perhaps this new road will be a smoother road." I soon discovered that that was not the case. I traveled alone for quite a long time, looking for a better path. As I traveled I found I was getting further and further away from that "less traveled" road and deeper and deeper into darkness. With a clouded mind entrenched in darkness, finding that "right" path becomes harder and harder.
I ran into dead-ends! I ran into 3, 4 and sometimes even 5-way forks! I ran into roads that led to nowhere! I climbed hills, I traveled along treacherous paths, and occasionally I found a lonely resting place. Every time I came to an intersection, I looked for the "easy way." But, always it eluded me. My eyes were not yet ready to see it. I was still avoiding the "less traveled" route.

At last, weary and tired of the darkness, I came to one of the biggest and most confusing intersections I had ever encountered! If I traveled to the left, I was promised a "great life, with no worries!" If I traveled straight ahead, I was promised riches and fame and servants to meet my every need! If I took that jog slightly to the right, I was promised a good life -- not a great life, but a good life with all of my choices being made for me. Or, I could take that sharp turn to the right -- that "less traveled" road that took a steep incline upwards with the promises of hard work, service to others, a chance to learn knowledge, introduction to friends who would not judge me nor would they laugh at me. And the rewards for all of my hard work would come at the very end of that very long, hard, less-traveled road.

I contemplated long and hard about this decision that I desperately needed to make. I was weary and didn't think I would have the strength to make that long, upward climb. It was at this impasse in my life that "something" or someone inside of me spoke softly to my heart, saying that "this was the RIGHT way!"

And so, I picked up my heavy load, decided to listen to that inner voice and turned to the right to begin my climb. I hadn't gone far before I found I was not alone on this road. The hill was steep and my burden heavy, but my companion began to carry part of it for me. I persevered and continued the climb, feeling less and less burdened as time passed. And, as I continued, the darkness began to dissipate.

By the time I reached the crest of the hill, my burden was gone and my companion took all of my fears, worries and confusion and left me there to begin my down-hill journey with the promise that He would never be far from me, should I ever need Him. The road ahead was not without bumps and hills and forks and pot-holes, but I knew I could call upon my friend to help me over the rough spots. Such has been my "new" road which carries me on my daily journey.

The road that led me here is my road. You have your own road. I have not traveled it alone -- not even when I was on the wrong road! It has taken me a lifetime to realize that! Am I sorry that I chose unwisely on several occasions? Of course! Do I wish I had taken a better road on those occasions? Absolutely! But, for me, the experiences that I have learned the most from in my life were the ones that taught me that I had chosen unwisely! That I could and should do better! I am fortunate that I can see that! Not everyone can! Oh, how I wish they could! My ultimate companion for the biggest and best part of my journey is my Savior and I can turn to Him every time I feel lost and alone. That is a comforting feeling for me. I am not alone!