photo courtesy of www.FreeFoto.comToday I got a nudge from the Universe through Cheryl Wright, a blogging buddy of mine, asking me if I were AWOL again! Yes, I replied, I have been. We returned to Chicago a week ago and the usual six-hour trip turned into over eight long hours as we negotiated all the TARP funded improvements (badly needed I might add) along our route! The first one took us by surprise (no signs until we came right up to the closed road) and that first detour took us an extra hour, then many extra hours on a two-lane road. I have to say, though, that the scenery was breath taking and well worth the detour!
So it is with life. We often think we are well on our way on our journey and all of a sudden we get a big detour sign in front of us. Nothing to do but follow the signs, hoping for the best. Sometimes we get little gifts along the way on a detour: meeting someone we wouldn’t have otherwise, an experience we get that wouldn’t have happened on our “regular” route, or like we got, stunning scenery along the way. We never know what lies ahead but if we keep our hearts open, we often have lovely experiences we were not expecting.
It’s hard to have a head of steam up and come upon a detour. It can be maddening, frustrating, and difficult, OR it can be adventurous, beautiful and full of miracles. Which detour are you choosing to take as you take your life’s journey?
Posts
Cheryl's a great cheerleader, always keeping us on our writing toes! I took a detour this summer, a little hiatus from blogging as I focused on other projects. Cheryl kindly reminded me when it was finally time to get back to the blog! And she was right ...
ReplyDeleteDiantha,
ReplyDeleteAn important message to take from this post-enjoy every moment of your life-including the detours!
blessings
sema
Oh how funny! She really is wonderful isn't she! Thanks for sharing that with us! xo
ReplyDeleteSema, yes you are right! It is often in the detours we find the "best scenery" or get the most profound lessons! xo
ReplyDeleteDiantha,
ReplyDeleteIsn't Cheryl too funny about that? I remember the first time she did it to me I was in Florida--she emailed me because I had not been posting. "Where ARE you?!" she said. I love this about our blogging sisters. Your detours sound like they were potentially frustrating, but I do believe it is all about attitude. Detours can provide wonderful unforseen opportunties and invitations. If we can just surrender our agenda and let go into them. Looking forward to seeing you soon! xo
Jan, yes, Cheryl is just fabulous! I'm kind of into detours as I find they often offer something amazing! Just have to keep my eyes, ears and heart open! Yes, SEE YOU SOON! YAY! xo
ReplyDeleteI love detours Diantha. I seem to get lost quite often when driving or walking in unfamiliar territory and instead of getting upset I see it as another adverture, a path the angels wanted to show me.
ReplyDeleteLove post and a great reminder to look at detours with an open mind and an open heart.
Take care
Peggy xxx
I guess my detour is life in general and not what I thought it would be.... guess God's got different plans... :O)
ReplyDeletePeggy, you get it! Detours can so often be much better than the direct route!
ReplyDeleteDiane, welcome to the club! My life isn't anything like I thought it would be or planned it to be. Thank goodness! God had other plans and thankfully He won! My other life would not have been nearly as full! My favorite quote is from George Bernard Shaw which is something like: "Man plans, God laughs". True so true!
Beautiful message, Diantha.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder...what am I choosing? Am I seeing the adventure that could lie ahead, or am I seeing this as a painful change? I hope it's the first - although in all honesty, I know that sometimes I see the pain instead of the adventure.
And I'm reminded today, being here, to always take the time to see the adventures in life - they are there!
Hi Lance,
ReplyDeletewell, I think we all, since we are humans after all, tend to want to take the easy way! Change is hard! Change is challenging! And it is definitely uncomfortable! Even when we want it! The trick is to take another approach to change, to look to it as an adventure, and to look to see what the message and/or gift is. Easy to say, hard to do! (grin)
I'm choosing to approach my life as one big adventure. And, some of the best experiences I've had are those that occurred because I was willing to go off the 'beaten path' and explore.
ReplyDeleteCarolynn, you are so right! Some of the "best scenery" is off the beaten path! You go girl!
ReplyDelete