Someone once told me a story that I don't think I really took it all in at the time. It's the headlight story. Have you heard of it? Ok, so it goes something like this. One day there was a man who was away on a business trip and he had to drive home. While he was driving it started to rain heavily. He didn't remember the forecast saying it was going to be this bad but he pushed ahead because he wanted to get home, and he wanted to go home now. It was just going to take him a little while longer. As the day grew into night, the rain eventually got so heavy that he could barely see down the road. Slowing down considerably, he realized that he could only see as far as his headlights shined in front of him. He made the decision that he would rather be safe than sorry, so he made up in his mind that it didn't matter how long it took him to get home, as long as he got there safely. Besides, at least he could see everything that was directly in front of him. He could tell when the road curved, when the road was straight, and he could see all of the highway signs as he approached them. When he got off the highway, he could see when his street was coming up, the driveway entrance, and even the house as it came into view. All clear signs that let him know he made it home and could come to a stop. When his loved ones saw that he finally made it, they were so happy to see him! They didn't care when he arrived, they just wanted him to take his time so he could arrive safely.
If you have ever noticed, your car headlights don't shine that far ahead of you. They shine just enough so you can see what is directly in front of you. I think it's like this because that is the most important viewpoint needed when you drive. Think about it, you can get rid of all viewpoints but this one and still make it to your destination. It may take longer but you can. That's why blind spots, which are directly around you, are so dangerous. Just like driving, the same way with life. Look around you and observe what opportunities, open doors, resources, present gifts/talents, and network relationships are present. You have answers all around you! They may just need to be implemented to set off a chain reaction that can lead to the next set of answers you need until you reach your destination. I don't just say this to you, I say this to myself as well. Sometimes we can be so blinded by trying to look at something in the future or in the past. It's like we don't realize that it is keeping us from moving forward in our present because we aren't addressing and looking at what is around us now. We have to do better. Try this. Clear your heart and your mind, take a deep breath, let this mental "stuff" go, and then look again. It may not be the whole thing, it may be small, it may just be step 1 out of a lot of steps but... look again. It's right in front of you, start there. -FLL
Photo credit: Photo by Anna Tarazevich
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