Following Directions

I'm back.

I never left.

You know, sometimes I think you're making fun of me.

Sometimes you take yourself too seriously.

.................

Really.

I know. . . I think, for me at any rate, life has been pretty serious. There are things....

Which we won't discuss now. But yes, I know sometimes it was very bad.

Not always. But now, it feels as if I'm back where I started and that's not a good feeling. Cause where it started wasn't good.

Sometimes when you walk along the sides of heavily forested mountain paths, you may feel that the road has turned and you're headed back the way you came. You can become very confused by that sensation. If you're not careful, you could actually get off on the wrong path or get turned around. Remember that mountain in Germany, overlooking the castle?

Not likely to forget it.

No, you aren't. That would have been a very long fall had you followed that driving urge to run up the hill.

I was pretty sick after I realized what was just beyond the rise.

Something stopped you that day. What was it?

Something told me it would look stupid with all those people around. So I walked sedately up to the top.

And nearly stepped off about a 300 foot drop anyway.

We can change the subject now. Still makes me a bit ill.

I'm not done making a point. When you think you're headed in the wrong direction you have to look up, look around, and get your bearings. Pay attention to surroundings. You know this. You've read elevation maps and you know about checking your trail foward and backward. You've dabbled with finding directions and telling time based on star positions. You know that planets move and stars don't. Since you were a child you've known the most important constellations in the night sky and with a clear sight line you can find the north star. 

But I can't find my way out of the mess of my life.

Most people can't. Why not use the same methods? All you need is a clear sight line. You simply find the North Star. Check the map. Chart a  path and follow it and don't turn back, no matter how confused you get, no matter how much you think you're going in the wrong direction. Check the trail behind and ahead constantly. Look around you, don't step off the trail.

You know, I can generally follow that kind of logic but I'm not doing so good with metaphors tonight. I wasn't expecting to have this conversation.

I get that a lot.

I'm overlooking the obvious, right?

A little.

They say if you get lost in the woods to sit down and wait for someone to find you.

Yes, I've actually met a several folks who tried that.

.......... You know that isn't really funny, right?

They didn't think so either.

Ok...North Star. You're right. I can find it. What if I'm in the southern Hemisphere?

......

Sorry, just a little levity. So, where's this map?

.......

Oh. Yeah. I've been studying that more lately.

About time.

You know this particular path isn't much fun.

You've already changed it once this month. Do you really want to try it again?

Now that you mention it, no. It isn't going so well at the moment.

Keep walking. That way. Trust me.





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