The Road of Life

You might like speeding down the road with no regard to the law, your hair dancing in the wind.
You might like a nice joy ride with a mountainous scenic view, your digital camera ready to capture the moment.
You might like cruising through the streets with small-town charm, waving at pedestrians and children on bicycles.

Life is Main Street, and however fast, slow, or medium your pace is as you journey through, you've got to fit the scene to your liking.

The speed of your life is in your control; the length of the road, with all its smooth and bumpy turns, has already been paved for you. Life as a road is an analogy often used because, well, it works and it's on point.

If you compare life to a road, picture the speed bumps as minor setbacks or upsets such as accidentally missing a bill payment or losing out on a promotion. Like a speed bump, you have to maneuver your way through -- not around -- these obstacles. They cannot be ignored. But hey, speed bumps are minor and eventually you're over them.

A fender bender is like finding out your teenage daughter is pregnant or that you are about to lose your house. Your car is bent out of shape for the time being, but with attention and care, it revs back up. It's not life-threatening, it might make your head ache a little, but after all is said, done, and paid, you learn to smile again and move on.

A car crash is like discovering a loved one has cancer or you've become handicapped and bound to a wheelchair for life. It's devestating but you lived through the crash. As a result, you have to make small changes and learn how to deal with your new lifestyle, just as your cancer-stricken friend has to. You survived the crash, now it's time to figure out how to recover. You can't change what's happened.

Life is a not a smooth road; nobody promised it would be. As I said before, the length of the road is not in your hands, it has already been paved. Even with its speed bumps, fender benders, and crashes, you're alive and you have to take it one day at a time.

No matter what happens in your life, you've got to realize you can survive it all. Setbacks are just that...things that end up slowing down your speed a little. Your life isn't over, and there's a reason it's not, so don't go ruining it by walking around feeling sorry for yourself. The night always ends and the dawn always breaks through.