File photo of the George Walker Bush highway
For many who love to travel by road, getting on a highway ― especially one far away from town ― seems to be the most enjoyable pat of the journey. They are treated to various mind-blowing sights and places which eventually have a telling effect on their perception about life.
Driving on a highway can be fun. It is absolutely soothing to have many trees stare admiringly at you. The serene scenery through the windows is such a sight to behold. Away from the hustle and bustle in town, one is able to refresh themselves by the greenery that flanks both sides of the road.
A drive on a highway is a time for reflection. The stunning environment that envelopes it always presents us with an opportunity to ponder over life even deeper. Every time we are privileged to use a highway far away from an urban area, we ought to remember that life has presented us an opportunity to pay attention to how life there is mirrored in our daily lives.
There are many places life communicates its lessons to us. It could be at the market place or even our workplace. There is always something to learn wherever we find ourselves. Though driving on a highway may be quite an adventure, there are as well many life lessons for us all to learn.
Same direction, different destinations.
On a highway are vehicles of all sort ― both big and small. There are luxurious cars as well as cars which have outlived their roadworthiness.
There are rented cars and those that are owned by those driving them.
Indeed, there are all manner of vehicles on a highway.
In one lane, all of these many cars may be heading towards the same direction. Some even try to overtake others. The truth, however, is that they all have different destinations. It doesn’t matter whose car speeds most. They are all headed towards different places.
In life, similarly, we all have different destinations. No matter how similar our dreams may be, we have different purposes. We have been called to reach different people. It, thus, tugs at my heartstrings when I see people jealously pulling others down to take their place.
It is like a car running into another just to prevent it from getting to its destination.
Today, we have many people in haste to overtake others. They will go every length to be ranked above them. They are in a hurry to be the first to reach their destination but little do they know that our destinations in life are different from each other.
Everybody will get home.
On every highway, vehicles are at top speed. Everyone is at top speed because their destination seems far away. No one tries to waste time on a highway because they are in a hurry to get to their destination. No matter how distant people’s destination may be, however, everybody gets home. Regardless of how slow a vehicle moves, they still get to their destination somehow.
In life, we all will get home. Some may get to their destination earlier than others but when it has all been said and done, everybody will reach their destined place.
We sometimes fret over how early others got to their desired place while we are still lagging behind. In life, just as on a highway, we are all driving at different speeds. Some may be faster. Others may be slower. Some may be driving sports cars while others may not. No matter how fast or slow one may be, however, they will still get home.
Accidents happen.
On a highway, misfortunes do happen. Accidents do occur. Lives can be lost. Though one may have driven defensively, a careless driver may run into them. Someone’s bad decision may cost people their lives.
In life, we may similarly pay for people’s bad decisions. Even though we may not have expected, misfortunes can happen to us. Our family’s bad choices may affect us. We can become victims of the bad decisions of governments. The bad decisions of our neighbors may have a rippling effect on us all. We may lose our jobs because of someone’s misappropriation of funds.
Just as accidents happen to people on a highway, misfortunes can run into us without any fault of ours. Our marriages may fail even though we were good people. We may lose some great friends to death. We may do all the right things in life but someone’s wrong choices may leave us paralyzed for rest of our lives.
We need to learn to pick ourselves up when the storms of life rage. When misfortunes come ramming into the doors of our lives, we ought to be able to move on as long as we have life. Accidents may happen but as much as possible, we need to keep our heads up high.
Nothing new under the sun.
When on a highway, vehicles are always coming from the opposite direction. While others may be coming from different destinations, some may be coming from where one is headed towards. One’s destination may be their source.
In life, there is nothing new under the sun. Wherever we want to be, others have been there and back. We need to be humble because our future is someone’s present and another’s past. Whatever we will be able to achieve in this life should not make us feel any superhuman. It may be extraordinary to us but not to others.
On a highway are hidden some of life’s deepest thoughts. Next time you use one, pay attention.
