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When we look at the amount of work necessary to move our life in the direction we want, our trained response is to look for a shortcut of some kind. This is a perfectly reasonable first reaction, and it is a good thought to have: If we didn’t look for faster/easier/more efficient ways of doing things, we would not make any progress.
The problem comes when we start working on ourselves, and instead of tackling that which we’re afraid of, we decide to look for another way. The problem is that when we do that, we’re actually moving away from the very shortcut we are seeking!
Think about it: You are walking to a destination, and you see that you can go cross-country and get there much faster than if you kept to the road. You decide to give it a try, so you leave the well-traveled road, and start working your way towards your destination. Right away you notice that the paved and even road isn’t there anymore. You’re having to move around trees and constantly check to see you’re moving in the right direction. You may have some hills to climb. At this point, you may wonder if there’s a more direct route to get there. You slow down, and start feeling ambivalent feelings about this “shortcut”. Eventually you come to a moment of decision: Do you keep moving cross-country, or do you go back to the road?
The road symbolizes what you might call the “lowest common denominator” in our lives. If we were to stop trying to be more, if we were to stop trying to be accepting, if we were to stop trying to progress, that is where we end up. We spend our time in a gray state of autopilot. We may get to where we are going eventually, but there’s no guarantee, as you have to follow where the road takes you. Even if you do get there, you’ll get there when and as the road brings you.
The cross-country terrain is where the adventure is. No guarantees here, either. However, you do have control as to what direction you are taking, and what path to take. Here you will encounter obstacles, and tricky spots, and you may even get a little dirty. But, you can keep moving in the direction your heart is telling you to go, and you can get there.
Why look for a shortcut when you’ve already found it? As for me, I love the woods, and wouldn’t go back to the road for anything!
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