Let’s go on a journey. It will require a little bit of imagination and reflection.
Got your seatbelt on?
Great.
Imagine yourself in your favorite car – pick out the make, model, and color of your ride. Does your car have a signature smell? Leather interior? Get comfortable in your seat, we’ll be getting on the highway shortly.
Are you cruising in the left lane, comfortable in the middle lane, or committed to the right lane? Hopefully, you put your indicators on before switching lanes!
Let’s begin to view your highway lane as an example of your life. Everyone’s lane is unique and beautiful in its own right. Your lane comprises your history, the moments in your life that stick out – the time you laughed so hard your face hurt, your first experience of heartbreak, the electric energy in the room while crossing the graduation stage – as well as the important moments that add color to your day-to-day.
Your lane also comprises where you are right now. What do you see around you? Who’s around you? What are the conditions of the road – smooth and steady? Bumpy with potholes? Are there any lanes you should avoid?
Finally, your lane is made up of the stuff we call “the future.” Sometimes we have an idea of where we’re going, yet our journey will always have unforgettable sites, unexpected twists, and maybe even some U-turns.
On this journey called life, how do you honor your lane?
Sometimes your beautiful roadmap will entail others’ driving parallel to you. Some of these individuals will exit sooner than expected or be a surprising companion on the long road ahead. Others might decide to rejoin you at a later time. You might find a person or a few merging into your lane and it’s up to you to decide if that fuels your energy or drains your battery.
What are you learning from your highway lane? Do you need to speed up or slow down? What’s the traffic you encounter teaching you? Are you taking moments to rest, refuel, and realign?
It’s important to refrain from comparing your lane to any one else’s. It’s a sure way to get lost. How do we each celebrate our own lane while respecting and celebrating others and their journeys? Is it time to change up your route or ask for directions?
Your ride will be more joyful if you can cultivate appreciation for the miles in your rearview mirror, the road ahead foreshadowed by your headlights, and most importantly, the steering wheel you are graced with this very moment.