Road Closed Ahead

I came across a traffic sign recently that is one of the most dreaded signs to me, and it literally stopped me right in my tracks.

ROAD CLOSED.

Not detour, not construction, but road closed. In other words, this is the end of the line for you. Your ability to go any further on the current course is denied.

There's no doubt that life throws us curves all the time. Despite our best efforts to plan, change seems to be the only constant that life gives to us. We have become adept at detours, changing course to meet new demands and expectations in the moment. It could be an unexpected sickness, a sudden accident or tragedy, or something else that impacts our lives negatively. Alternatively, life (or more specifically the IRS), could send us an extra large tax return refund or a promotion could come our way at work. Any change requires a rethinking and a re-planning. These are the detours which are most common on the path of life. We're still moving forward, but perhaps a little to the right or left.

A roadblock is not that way. It prevents any forward movement, and sometimes a suggested change to the course is not given. Many times, these roadblocks occur with no warning, and we sit staring ahead, wondering 'what do I do now?'

In physics, Newton's 3 Laws are the bedrock of many other scientific principles. His first law, the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will tend to stay at rest unless some force acts upon it, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion. In life, it is easiest for us to keep doing what we're doing, rather than stop or change direction. It takes energy -- thought, action, and flexibility -- to make a change.

Roadblocks in life force us to make a revision. We are no longer able to continue along our preset path. This requires tremendous energy according to the law above. First we have to stop when we were moving. Then we have to start again -- and in another direction. Sometimes our temptation in those circumstances is to turn around and go back or to simply stop altogether, paralyzed by the situation.

On the day I ran into the roadblock, my first response was shock. I had driven 70 miles (2 hours), and was 3 miles from my destination when I encountered the roadblock. It was another outdoor hike I had planned, but, due to time contstraints, walking the extra 6 miles was not an option. The first response to a roadblock can be shock and disorientation. Both of those emotions can cause us get stuck, and to stop our forward motion.

You have be powerful to meet obstacles. Power is demonstrated in decisiveness and choice. We all have the ability to choose: discouragement or empowerment, hope or despair, confidence or fear. Each choice is powerful, and choices are always before us.

Once I regained my composure that day, I chose a different path (literally), without much knowledge of where I would end up. I had to trust that the well marked path was leading me somewhere great, as it had led many others before me. I had to have hope that the desination would be worth the journey. My hope was realized, as I ended at a beautiful alpine lake vista, not entirely different from my original desination.

Be powerful today. When life puts a roadblock in your path, find a different path.

Carpe Diem

This Latin phrase, carpe diem, periodically arrests my thoughts and sets the course of my actions.

Seize the Day.

Live in the moment.

Embrace life.

Take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

As you may be aware, intellectually understanding words on a page and living in the reality of them are two different things. Life is a continual series of choices that test whether or not our beliefs will be expressed in our actions. A few days ago, I took the opportunity to embrace a moment, and my day turned from blasé to extraordinary. Sometimes the simplest moments in life can leave a powerful impact on your very own heart.

I was awake early for a morning airport run which was followed closely by a school dropoff. By 8:15 am, I had already been in the car for wearisome 2 1/2 hours. When I arrived back home, I was faced with decision points about the remainder of my day. Hmmmm. The toilets certainly were not sparkly and disinfected. The carpets bore the reminders of the numerous feet that pass over them each day. A steady stream of emails were queued and waiting to be answered. There was health insurance paperwork that was nearing an important deadline. The dilemma of a healthy yet tasty dinner was pulling on my thoughts. Merchandise returns had begun to stack on top of the snail mail waiting to be sorted, processed, and recycled. An ever encroaching daily press of maintenance can consume and choke out the energy of the creative life that we all possess. As I pondered the day ahead, the Colorado autumn sunshine seaped past my eyes and bore deep into my soul. It battled with the unchecked items on the To-Do list of which my conscience continued to remind me.

A few months earlier, I had spent several schedule deficit summer weeks collecting information on the Colorado hikes that I wanted to explore. I searched online, borrowed library books, and read local magazines. For residents of the mile high city, outdoor adventures are in abundance, and I had my eye on some great alpine lake hikes, waterfall hikes, and dog-friendly hikes. It was our first official summer in Colorado, and I wanted to be outside. As the summer wound to a close, the outdoor concerts, baseball games, barbeques, mini-golf and poolside relaxation had superseded my long list of hikes. These other events had provided the memories I was looking for to satisfy my longing for family connection, but my yearning for the closeup scenic majesty of the Rockies went unfulfilled.

One quick check of the weather gave further incentive to my budding plan. Today's weather had no chance of precipitation, which for the Front Range and neighboring cities, has proven to be an anamoly with elevation driven afternoon storm systems. There would be abundant sunshine throughout the day. The last potential roadblock crept into my mind: driving time. My afternoon carpool deadline would come before I realized it, so as the clock ticked past 9 am, I realized my decision point was upon me. I seized the day. I was going, and my faithful golden doodle, Winnie, would be my companion.

The hour long drive passed in what seemed like a moment as I drove through golden, aspen-dotted foothills. I could feel my heart lighten as I inhaled the fresh air and scenery. My chosen spot was a place called Eldorado Canyon State Park. Planning this trip was effortless thanks to Day Hikes Near Denver. I enjoyed several hours of picturesque autumn beauty as I gained more than 900 feet of elevation on my upward climb towards 7073'. With my heart pulsing, my endorphins charged, and my face towards the warm October sun, I paused frequently to breathe in my surroundings and meditate on the Creator architect. As I walked, I pondered a recent book I had read called Wild about a woman's emotional and physical journey along the Pacific Crest Trail and imagined I was walking my own version of the trail. It was me and my dog, mostly alone on this day, except for two hiking buddies and a family of three whose descent intersected my climb. We ate lunch at a scenic spot and admired the great continental divide. I attempted to give my dog her first 'selfie' and laughed at her unwillingness to appreciate our stunning vista.

As I returned home later that day, my body was weary but satisfied. My soul was refreshed, and my mind active and clear. I knew that the chore list that still awaited my attention would be tackled with fresh vision and energy, even if it would be one day late. I was recharged and fulfilled, poised to continue what I had now remembered was my wonderful life. We all have opportunites to break from our daily routine to choose a moment or hour that will renew our vitality and vision. It may be a lunch date, an afternoon jog, a favorite movie, or a outdoor escape. Each of us has numerous activities that serve to refresh. On this day, mine was a mountain hike.


I made my choice.

I stopped.

I embraced life.

And life embraced me anew.