So there I was puttering around Ireland, following the suggestions of my guidebook, and there before me stood a turn off. Should I take it, or not, I wondered. I was already lost in an area that they call the Burren, and if anything that road seemed to lead to nowhere. I was ready to move on, having enjoyed the views of the area from pretty much every location.
Being of adventurous spirit, I decided to take the road.
Up, up, up it went. Rocky with sharp protrusions, my car rattled up the hill, with stone walls as my guardians on each side ensuring that there was no way to turn around. It started to rain, but I pushed on, even as my car had trouble climbing the hill.
When I got to the top, there was a gate. The road ended, and let me out onto a field of green. I hopped out of the car, and turned off the ignition, to walk and open the gate. As I turned around, I was greeted with the view. Not just a view. The view. It was amazing. The elevation, gave me a perspective of the area, unmatched by anything else I had seen that day.
Which is when I realized a few truths. One, that if there is a road, there is something at the end of the road. People don’t just go to the effort to build a road, unless it accomplished some productive value. Roads are no different. So if you see a road, take it, you might be surprised what you find at the end.
More importantly, it really brought home the idea that only by turning off from our general path in life, can we experience the sublime. It actually takes me back to the biblical story of Moses. In the story of the burning bush, the bible tells us that Moses turned to see what the whole burning bush was about. He had caught a glimpse of the bush, but only because he turned away, did he have his great revelation.
So too, life.
Those who just keep going down the path that life presents them, and don’t investigate the turn offs, end up losing out. To really live, we have to proactively view those opportunities that present themselves, and approach them with a sense of curiosity. In doing this, our lives become fuller, and we get the opportunity to experience fresh experiences daily.