Life Lessons From A Missed Turn

Mistakes are not always mistakes.

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The sign said something different from what I thought it should say, so we kept walking. Twenty minutes later, we realized that was where we should have turned.

However, instead of turning back, my two young granddaughters and I decided to explore the direction we were going. We arrived safely at our destination just over an hour later than expected.

As we neared the last leg of the trip, our destination in sight, we reviewed what we had learned from the experience.

Later, I realized that what we had learned was a perfect analogy for traveling in life.

After all, don’t we sometimes look back on our lives and think, “If only I had taken that turn, things would be different.”

Of course, that is true because our choices affect the outcome, but regret over missing a turn doesn’t serve us at all.

Here’s what the three of us gained by missing that turn.

• First, we agreed that we would know where to turn if we ever took that particular walk again.

We won’t be confused by the sign or distracted by a cute little groundhog.

• When we take different walks, we will remember that perhaps the sign appears misleading, but with a deep pause, we will recognize that it is simply saying things differently than we expected.

• We will also remember that it is subjective, and it is our choice whether or not it was a mistake to miss the turn. After all, we saw things on our walk that we would never have seen any other way.

• We learned the importance of always walking (running or jogging) with a cell phone.

In our case, we didn’t need to call for help because I knew where we were, but we did have to reassure their mom that we were okay.

In life, we need to be present and available no matter where we are, and if we need to call for help, we can do so because we are prepared to communicate.

• We asked for directions! We asked for help!

Yes, I did know where we were but asking alerted me to where we would emerge from the trail, and it was reassuring to know that we were headed in the right direction.

• What have others done in life before you? What do they have to teach you about where you are?

There is no point in learning things the hard way, when guidance is always available.

• Observe landmarks.

Since we were walking in my hometown, I immediately saw landmarks I knew.

However, the town has changed dramatically from when I used to walk as a child. I had to check multiple landmarks to ensure we were heading in the right direction.

It helped us remember to observe where we are at all times.

• Pay attention and be present in the moment.

It reminds me of Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's novels. She paid attention and recognized when people, places, and things reminded her of what she had observed.

She was rarely fooled. This seems to me to be a wonderful skill to learn.

• Trust that all will be well.

There was no point in worrying.

Instead of enjoying the walk, seeing new sights, and learning new things, we could have worried. But what’s the point of that, and how does it help?

It is very hard to hear the still, small voice that is always guiding us when the loud voice of worry fills our heads.

Later, when we returned home, we reviewed a map of where we had been, noting the trail we missed and the path we took.

• As in life, looking at the broad picture of where we have been is always enlightening.

Ultimately, I was delighted by what might have appeared as a mistake.

I’ll never forget the sight of the oldest granddaughter running ahead with her ponytail swinging and returning to her sister and me to walk for a while.

We had time to talk. We saw things only a walker could have seen, and together, we learned some important life lessons.

And as one granddaughter said, “We’ll have a story to tell!” She was already thinking of someday telling her grandchildren how she, her sister, and her Beeco missed a turn and enjoyed a long walk together on a beautiful day.

Isn’t this what life is about?

I hope you enjoy the turns you have missed.

• Remember that divine intelligence always knows where you are, and if you pause and listen, you will see that mistakes are simply learning experiences.

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