On a recent family road trip, I blissfully drove on the interstate I-80 and followed the GPS directions. I knew I had to be on that route for the next three hours, yet, one hour into it, the GPS directed me to exit. I hesitantly followed the directions before realizing that I was on a 20-mile detour that would eventually lead me back to the same interstate. By the time I grasped what was happening, it was too late to turn around and stick with what I knew. I grumbled to my husband but obliged.
Seven miles into my questionable detour, I looked over onto the interstate, only to find a drastic reduction in speed limit and lane closure due to construction. At that moment, I realized the GPS didn’t direct me to exit to chastise me but to save me the hassle of construction and a traffic jam that always accompanies road work.
I couldn’t help but think of how often life takes us on a detour unbeknownst to us. At first, we grumble and question, but eventually, we find the detour to be beneficial. When life changes unexpectedly, we tend to question everything, even ourselves. Did we make the right decision? What did we do wrong? What could we have done differently? However, embracing the deviant path we’re on could lead to a brighter future if we allow it. The detour is unexpected, scary, and often burdensome, but that’s okay because it can be beautiful as well if we leave ourselves open to the possibilities of what lies ahead.
Are you on a detour right now? If so, are you switching gears and adapting or holding on to the hope of things going back to normal? Tap into your inner strength you never knew you could access and look for opportunities within your detour.
“Often what may appear as a detour in life is actually the most direct and empowering path to your destination.” James Arthur Ray
