A good sense of direction

I’m always surprised by people who can’t read a map. To me, this means that when they travel, they don’t know where they are and they can’t find out. They’ll have a vague notion that they’re somewhere in Montana. They turn the map this way and that and stare, befuddled, waiting for the “You are here” arrow to appear. These are the same people who can’t tell where East is even when the sun is rising. The same people who feel lost every time they must negotiate around an unforeseen obstacle.

There is a flipside, though. It might be that I just like to know where I am. I believe I have a good sense of direction, that I know where I’m going and at least some of the steps I need to get to my destination. Other steps or twists and turns won’t be clear until I’m on my way, the unforeseen detours, the washed out bridge, the decision to follow a trail not on the map, trusting that because I do have a good sense of direction, I’ll be able to find my way even without having plotted this particular path toward my goal or back toward home.

This is not to say I’ve never been lost. We all have moments when we panic because nothing is familiar and we’ve screwed up or burned a bridge before we realized we needed to be on the other side of the river. But there are many times when being lost is a blessing, a chance to explore something new, to see new vistas, to find a new way, perhaps a better way. Opportunities for us to experience things which may change our itinerary completely. Chances to explore those places which ultimately change our goals, our direction toward those goals and even change where we call home. With a good sense of direction, you can find your way even when you’re lost. Especially when you’re lost.