Getting Lost

“If you can risk getting lost somewhere along the day you might stumble upon openings that link you to your depths “ – Anonymous

A Too-Planned Life

Control is an illusion, but do we try! As humans we want a sense of safety. There is some safety to be had. However, we are not in control of life, overall, and trying to be gets us nowhere. The reality is that life is a mixture of predictability and surprise. Try as we may, we cannot be sure of the course of our lives. Life is an adventure. For us to learn and grow, the path ahead cannot be 100 % certain.

We all know that trying to plan every aspect of our lives is a fool’s journey. Things come up that we did not anticipate, we change, what we want changes and the actions of others impact our lives. Trying to plan the entirety of our lives leads to disappointment, stress, discouragement and a sense of futility because our expectations are not being met. We can blame ourselves, but the true culprit is that life cannot be planned for in its entirety.

The too-planned life is best replaced with the planned life that acknowledges and embraces the unknown and the unpredictable. We have the power to guide our life and to set our direction. Best that we be flexible when things we did not anticipate come our way. This puts us in a position to respond well and continue our journey. We can keep our focus, rather than be pushed off our path.

The Power of Wandering

 Some look at wandering as being lost. It can be seen as an unproductive use of time. The perception is that if we wander, we are not in control. Where could we be going? The truth is that even if we set a course, we cannot be sure it leads us to our destination. Wandering allows exploration and, as we wander, unanticipated wonders can appear.

The journey of life is not mapped out. It varies for each of us. The too-planned life can eclipse opportunity. It has a narrow focus and we cannot see all that is around us. We limit our thinking to what we have planned and do not see all the possibilities available to us. Best to acknowledge this and allow ourselves to wander at times.

What is wandering? Wandering is moving about without a definite destination or purpose. It is exploring. It is allowing the unknown to exist in our lives. When wandering, our minds are free of plans and restrictions. The pressures we once had are gone. We are free to be in the present moment and to see what shows up. Wandering is open space and in open space we can be ourselves and enjoy what we encounter.