Alternative Routes

 

When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.

41st First Lady of the United States, wife of George H.W. Bush, and mother of George W. Bush, was born on this day in 1925.

 

Don’t you wish you had Waze or Siri to navigate your life?

“In three hundred feet, don’t do that, Dumbass.”

“Take that left turn in Albuquerque.”

“You will regret that third slice of pizza.”

I suppose in a way, we have a conscience to tell us these things. Then again, some choices are not just about right or wrong, we usually know the answers to that.

The more difficult ones are about which choices to make, which direction to turn.

For some time, I’ve wondered at an educational system that tosses you out of high school and practically demands you go straight to college for the next four years.

That’s what I did. In the process, I had three majors in college…not at the same time, mind you. And, had I had the time, I might have had another.

I could have used some more time to figure it out.

But, circumstances, and the 70s, being what they were. I thought I had to do the four-year thing.

True, since I managed to pay for most of my junior and senior year with survivor benefits I was on a deadline of sorts.

Maybe the guidance counselors and other adults in my life were my navigation systems and I just didn’t listen to them. Maybe not.

I know in a couple of places, I got some bad advice.

It wasn’t intended to be so. They meant well.

So, I made some choices that today, given the option, I’d make differently.

But we don’t get that option. And we learn from the choices we’ve made.

We can try to pass that wisdom along to those who come after us.

It’s not likely they’ll listen either.

Every so often I’ll see a letter someone has written to their younger self.

Really, we could all do that.

But, experience, as they say (and who the heck are “they”?) is the best teacher.

I’m a little off topic from what Mrs. Bush was saying. She, by the way, is one of my all-time favorite first ladies.

But what she’s saying is (well, my interpretation), is that when life gets in the way, or tells you that you can’t do something, you can always find another way.

The important thing is not to stop.

I drive north on I-95 to the amusement park every Saturday and Sunday. Somedays the traffic comes to a standstill. If I can catch it in time, I can take a detour and get around most of the traffic.

Otherwise, I’m stopped. And late for work.

If you’ve come to a roadblock in life, find a way around.

Find a detour.

And, failing all else, find some dynamite and blast the stuffings out of that thing.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Just don’t stop.

Even if you say something stupid.

American singer and actress, Nancy Sinatra, was born on this day in 1940. Here she is with her brother, Frank, Jr.



__________________________________________

Follow The Write Side of My Brain on Google+, Facebook and Pinterest.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.