Have you ever been lost and discovered something unique and beautiful, that you would have never seen otherwise?

Or have you wondered what you would miss if your path took you straight to where you wanted to go, as quickly as you wanted to get there?

When we set a big goal and can see the vision, well we want to get there … now!

It is so easy to get annoyed when we don’t reach our desired destination in our time frame.

Yet rarely is it that simple.

When my husband was walked out of his job a little over a year ago it seemed like everything wrong had just happened.  In a way he was right.  How it happened and the reasons were wrong, but in hindsight we are grateful.

You see, that brought him to where he works now … a night and day difference in so many ways!  That day he would have never predicted all the wonderful things that have brought him to today.

If there is anything we have seen in the past few years it’s that change is inevitable, and though we can’t control our circumstances, we sure can control how we respond.

Almost 20 years ago I was in a spot I didn’t think I could recover from.  The betrayal, rejection, and outcome of someone else’s addiction just felt like too much.  I remember crying on a friend’s shoulder as I repeated, “I can’t do this, I . can . not . get through this.”

But I did. (never underestimate the power of quiet reassurance to someone else)

Would I have chosen my path? No.  But I would do it again if it was going to bring me to where I am now.

It seems odd, yet so accurate, to say that every rejection, disappointment, hurt, broken dream, wait, and detour has been worth it.

What is it that they say, “hindsight is 20/20”?

You see, I know what I have is amazing, because I know the difference.

When you walk a harder path than you would plan you experience growth (and gratitude) you wouldn’t have if it had gone according to your original plan.

When you need to wait for results you desire, you learn through the effort.

When you walk through hurts, you learn how to heal.

When you need to say no, you learn healthy boundaries.

When you know the not good, you are so aware of the good.

When you have the setbacks and loss, the getting there feels so much better.

When my marathons were so hard to run, and I questioned if I could finish the race, the feeling of accomplishment as I crossed the finish line was a feeling I will never forget. 

I did it!  Even though I questioned if I could.

It is possible to feel what hasn’t gone the way you wanted and be grateful for the beauty and gift of where you are right now.

The beauty in the not there yet.

The beauty in the hindsight of what you didn’t know then.

The beauty in the arrival at the destination after taking a completely different path than you would have chosen.

Picture feeling lost, and not sure what road you are on.  You’ve veered off the road you wanted to take, but as you come around the corner you see the most majestic sunset you’ve ever seen, and a waterfall that the buildings on the other route would have blocked.  

You stop as you take it all in and think, “I would have missed that!”.

What do you not want to miss?

Can I encourage you to just keep moving? 

Keep your core values clear, live them out one day at a time, and plant seeds of a step at a time as you go.

You never know what is around the corner or on the other side of the building that is in front of you.

We don’t make the sun come up each morning, but we still get the gift of the day.