The Ultimate Roadtrip.....

Yesterday,  as I was driving home from my daughter’s college orientation at NIU, I hit a major  traffic snafu on Eastbound  Route 88 which dropped my mph  from about 75 to 5.  So be it I thought, his will be done,  all things must pass.  As I crawled along between the huge orange drums ,  The Rolling Stone’s “Time Waits For No One” came on my cd player; and tears came to my eyes.  Tear of joy for being so proud of my daughter for where she has been, is now and will be; but also tears of sadness for all those places my sons will never visit.

As  I gazed across the grassed ditch median strip and saw traffic zipping along the other direction, a thought came to me.  Life is like a road trip (profound huh?).   Everyone starts at point A and eventually their journey ends at point Z, same 26 letter for everyone  (whether there is a new alphabet which begins after point Z is debatable and a topic for another day).    Sometimes the road is a straight shot,  set the cruise control enjoy the ride.  Other  times  it is an asphalt smelled, bumper to bumper  crawl  which requires one to draw on  patience reserves and reflect on something positive.   Sometimes we need a pt stop at the oasis, other  times we can hold it just a bit longer.  Often we stray off the main road either intentionally or by accident, but we eventually will find our way back and reach point Z.  Some may get through their alphabet rather quickly, other it may take decades  before their journey is complete.  We can try to hit the brakes now and then, but can never stop completely.  And, unfortunately, no reverse gear is available.

The end of the journey is will come, we really never know when.   So just live in the now and sit back enjoy the ride.  Look around you and  focus on the beautiful scenery before it passes.   Ignore those obnoxious Audi drivers you will inevitably encounter along the way.  The stress they create can get you where you’re going way to fast.  Make sure   you have plenty of food and drink onboard   for  any passengers who may join you along the way.   Routine maintenance is a must, so check  the oil, tires and spare tire on a regular basis.  And, make sure you have a kick ass stereo and plenty of music to last a lifetime.  Rock on!