Two Roads Diverged… And I
A pattern I’ve noticed lately is how closely my dreams resemble a biblical parable. When I wake up the next morning to examine them, the concepts behind them seem SO simple, but the actual dream itself is always a little more complicated. Very fitting as a life comparison.
Short cuts are just dead ends you can’t see yet…
One of the most recent dreams I had was set in a theme park. This particular theme park had a lot of water so it almost felt as if there were water rides as well. My parents were there, aunts, uncles, cousins and even some friends. The theme of the dream was getting to the front of this line that felt like an obstacle course to get on a particular ride. There were many different ways to get through this line but the goal was to get to the end and take this ride together. Because there were many of us, we all had different ideas on the best way to make it through this line. Some ways were more complicated than others and in some ways short cuts, while others were simple paths that appeared to take more time. Depending on the path you took you’d get further along or find yourself at a dead end.
Through this obstacle, our travel companions were those who had the same ideas as us and we’d separate at forks in the road where our opinions diverged. At one point, I remember being high atop a mountain, looking down at the chosen path of others. Our view expanded because of our position. We called out to the others with the hope of guiding them towards us to make their journey easier. Little did we know, our path was a dead end. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, our chosen companions, the family and kindred spirits who shared our expedition, rallied to our aid. They were able to see our roadblocks and guide us down the side of the mountain safely to their path. Their vantage point became our saving grace because their route was tried-and-true.
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26
During the course of this dream, at some points, we were being guided while at others they were being guided by us. There was no animosity for choosing to take a different path. There was simply an understanding. Divide and conquer. Together, we maneuvered past potential pitfalls, emerging from the challenges a bit scraped and bruised but each scar a lesson and a story.
“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” -Isaiah 42:16
The dream ended when we were all at the same point again. My dad was frustrated because everyone kept wanting to take more complicated paths to get there faster, while he just wanted to get there safely. The easy way. Although EASY, to some the easy way didn’t actually appear easy at all. It appeared longer and required a lot more patience. However, the truth was, we all kept somehow meeting at the same place anyway. The shortcuts didn’t always get us further and all of the setbacks from taking shortcuts with dead ends were forcing us to backtrack and start over. The quickest way wasn’t always the best way and some of the paths we were choosing had more complications and unecessary challenges than we needed to endure. This tale by no means lacks a valuable lesson, reminding us of the strength found in unity and the wisdom gained from shared experiences. There is a VERY big lesson in this dream parable. A few actually…
Patience is key
Faster isn’t always better
There is value in shared experiences
We all need help
Our extraordinary bonds are what shape our journeys. Just because it looks like someone is further along than you doesn’t mean, they are. You have no idea the shortcuts they may have taken to get to where they are or the setbacks they’ll have to endure because of it. Worry about your path and help where you can. Don’t look down on others because you feel like you’re further along than them. Life is full of dead ends and pitfalls that we sometimes don’t see until it’s too late. Their perspective might help you. Be kind. You never know when you might need to backtrack, ask for help and lean on the wisdom of others. Most importantly… It’s OK to ask for help.