Lessons From The Road
One doesn't go on a 17 day road trip covering 16 states and not come home with a few life lessons. The road, it might be said, is an analogy for life, and there is much to be learned from cruising its scenic stretches, its winding byways, its forested freeways, from rolling along on that hilly, sun soaked ribbon of road. Such was certainly the case for Aubrey and I, and so I wanted to take some time and share a few of the lessons with you.
1. Everything can be automated, but not everything should be. There seems to be some sort of contest among rest area owners, to see who can automate the most features in the bathroom. Automated toilet flushers, sink turner-oners, hand dryers, paper-towel-dispensers, everything goes by itself. You can almost go in your sleep, the bathroom does all the work for you. However, most of it is silly, and not as good as the old fashioned kind. Toilets flush at all the wrong times, sinks turn on and off so quickly you think they're OCD, and then the paper towel machine gives you three inches of towel on which to dry your hands. There's something still to be said for the old fashioned human touch.
2. They say life is about the journey, not the destination. What a crock! After spending 6 hours driving across Kansas, you know, its about the destination. The destination is what its all about. This is true on road trips and its true in life. Sure the journey can be nice and enjoyable, I think it should be, I think it should even be meaningful and significant. But the journey is nothing without a destination. Life is about the destination, and the journey has meaning because it is a journey towards a destination.
3. We brought tons of snacks with us, and we didn't eat them all. But the lesson is not what you might think. The lesson is not to bring fewer snacks, but to bring more chocolatey things, and fewer healthy things. We played the M&M game, where we learned the lesson, set realistic goals for yourself, else you don't get to eat as many M&M's. There's something to be said for setting small goals, and rewarding yourself lavishly for them.
1. Everything can be automated, but not everything should be. There seems to be some sort of contest among rest area owners, to see who can automate the most features in the bathroom. Automated toilet flushers, sink turner-oners, hand dryers, paper-towel-dispensers, everything goes by itself. You can almost go in your sleep, the bathroom does all the work for you. However, most of it is silly, and not as good as the old fashioned kind. Toilets flush at all the wrong times, sinks turn on and off so quickly you think they're OCD, and then the paper towel machine gives you three inches of towel on which to dry your hands. There's something still to be said for the old fashioned human touch.
2. They say life is about the journey, not the destination. What a crock! After spending 6 hours driving across Kansas, you know, its about the destination. The destination is what its all about. This is true on road trips and its true in life. Sure the journey can be nice and enjoyable, I think it should be, I think it should even be meaningful and significant. But the journey is nothing without a destination. Life is about the destination, and the journey has meaning because it is a journey towards a destination.
3. We brought tons of snacks with us, and we didn't eat them all. But the lesson is not what you might think. The lesson is not to bring fewer snacks, but to bring more chocolatey things, and fewer healthy things. We played the M&M game, where we learned the lesson, set realistic goals for yourself, else you don't get to eat as many M&M's. There's something to be said for setting small goals, and rewarding yourself lavishly for them.
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