The long drive home

I grew up studying a map for directions. Now I trust my phone. But sometimes my GPS does odd things.

Coming home to Iowa from Racine, Wisconsin, I turned on GPS directions, trusting it to show the same route I took going. It started predictably, cruising Interstates, making great time.  Then the demanding voice told me to exit. I obeyed. She, I call her Lucy, knows the way to anywhere.

At the top of the ramp, Lucy told me to re-enter the Interstate. What? That’s backtracking. Why would I do that? But I complied. I figure Lucy knows, and getting out my road atlas now is not an option.

Lucy guides me to a two-lane road. Not good. I just want to be home. This is not the fast route. But I don’t have much choice unless I take time to pull over and plot a route back to the Interstate. Does Lucy know something I don’t, like maybe there is a crash on the Interstate and traffic is standing still?

I follow her commands. Soon she has me driving a curvy road beside a mostly frozen river. Stark, leafless trees line the other side. The trees, white snow and icy river are a beautiful study in black-and-white. The sky is cloudy, so there is virtually no color. The beauty is astounding. There’s no shoulder, so I cannot stop for this “Kodak moment,” but sometimes the best photos are actually in my head. I’m not sure where Lucy is taking me, but she knows a scenic route.

As I turn onto a state highway, I drive through picturesque small towns. Older houses sit beside the highway. Oh, the stories they could tell. They’ve been there a long time and seen many passersby.

Finally Lucy directs me to an Interstate. I am happy to see the four-lane highway, but despite the time lost by my circuitous drive, I would not trade that experience – the stark beauty and the more leisurely pace – for the faster, but monotonous Interstate.

I know Lucy has no brain. She is a robot. So why did she change my route? I think it was a gift from God. He knew I needed that beautiful drive, even though I felt lost. I was going the right direction, but it was not the route I planned.

That’s the way life is. We don’t always get the road we want. But along the way there are fulfilling experiences. Getting there fast is not always best. Enjoying the journey is more important than speed.