As we cruise down the road, everyone drives facing forward. The open road, the sun shining, the breeze flowing through our hair. We always look ahead to the unknown with ease. Having a GPS nowadays has given us peace of mind. We may not know where we are, but if we just keep moving forward we will eventually reach our destination.
Our passengers will occasionally question the direction we’re headed. Why take this road when that one is much faster? Why go through traffic when you can take the backroads? Why don’t you slow down? Why don’t you go a little faster? All valid questions, but they aren’t the ones steering the wheel.
The driver knows where they’re going. Even if they don’t know exactly where they are, or how they’ll get from A to B. They don’t worry about it. They have a trusty, built in GPS that has never let them down.
Sometimes the roads are fraught with potholes and we need to cautiously confront them. Animals jump from out of nowhere, but we’re paying attention and swerve just in time. And sometimes other drivers lose their way. They stop paying attention to their surroundings and almost cause an accident. No worries, we avoid that mess because we were looking forward, paying attention to all the signs of a distracted driver. We carry on down the road, always wide awake, ready for anything else that’s going to surprise us.
As we keep on moving forward, every once in a while we will check the rear view mirror. When we are on the highway as we are switching lanes. To see if there is any other drivers coming too close, or maybe because we saw something happen and we check to make sure everyone is alright. Why is it we only glance in the rear view? Because if we focus all our energy on what’s behind us, we wouldn’t see the dangers and also the opportunities that lie before us. Staring too long in the rear view is a hazard and we all instinctively know this.
What if living a good life is metaphorically identical to driving down the road?
On our journey of life, we are always looking forward. Some with hopes of a great future. Others with anxiety and fear for what may be to come. Our passengers always have something to say, but they forget they aren’t sitting in the drivers seat. The road has endless obstacles, but we always get through them. Sometimes without effort because we were paying attention. We always make it to our destination one way or another.
But why oh why do we spend so much time staring in the rear view? We know it’s not good for us. It’s okay to glance, to make sure we’re safe when making a transition to another lane. But we can’t live there. We can’t put all of our energy into focusing on what’s behind us or we will end up no where near our destination. We may go off the path completely.
Life is not a straight line. Sometimes we have to change directions, tell our passengers to have a little more faith, pay closer attention to our surroundings, and maybe even glance back for reassurance.
But don’t live life focused on the rear view mirror. It’s only a tool to be used sparingly. Keep your eyes on the road ahead. You’re always moving forward. The rear view is much smaller than the windshield for a reason!
Comments