Turning Back

Continuing the theme of paths and choices from last week, it dawned on me that there is a situation that we all have faced at some point in our lives: going in a wrong direction! I am a stubborn man. If I believe I am right, it takes an act of God or a major event to change my mind. On multiple occasions, much to the pain and anguish of my family and coworkers, I have been hellbent on getting to the end of the direction I had chosen. Usually, at some point in the situation, someone breaks through my arrogance and ignorance and helps me realize that I need to turn back.

At this point in my life, I have come to know that despite dead ends and wrong turns, it is never too late to do a 180 and head off in a better direction. What really captured my thoughts this week was the realization that when we turn around, we are still moving forward. Even if we feel like we are retracing our steps, we are actually seeing things from a totally different perspective on the way back. If we let go of the inaccurate thinking that life must be linear and perfect, we open ourselves up to discovering deeper truths about ourselves and the world around us.

It is hard to completely know when we are heading in the wrong direction. However, when we become aware that a change is necessary, it is important for us to reframe the situation. We now have an opportunity to learn, grow, and redirect our lives. The goal of our journey is not a destination; it is to live life more fully each day. Let’s give ourselves permission to turn around without judgment or condemnation and see what we might have missed on the way.