Where Are You Going?

 Say you want to go to California. You don’t need no stinking map—you fill the car with gas and head out, but the highway is boring. So, a sign ahead says exit here for a tourist attraction and that sounds like fun, and your hand reaches for that turn signal. You’re still going to Hollywood, but not right now.

Wow, that stop took longer than you expected. It was fun though, but not worth the delay.  On the road again, as the country-western singer croons it. Wait, you skipped breakfast for an early start this morning. If you have an early lunch, you can really make up for lost time by driving straight thru until you’ve put in eight hours behind the wheel.

Oops! Just passed an IHOP. A U-turn won’t take long. Back on the road, again, that sunshine streaming in feels good, but soon you’re getting drowsy. Need some caffeine; better safe than sorry. Back behind the wheel. And just ahead there’s a guy on a tractor. Outa the way, Jerk. Finally, he turns off and you hit the gas to make up a little time—and you pass a Highway Patrol car, and--of course he’s holding a radar gun. He doesn’t care how important your trip is. He says he only cares about your safety. You could have bought an airline ticket for what that stop cost.

Well, this day was a total loss. Disappointed and depressed, you begin looking for a motel, promising you will get back on track tomorrow. Right off the bat you face a detour. Oh-oh! Rough road ahead, single lane only. Another long day.

Eventually the road opens up and you sigh in relief. Just ahead is a car beside the road, its hood raised in surrender and a woman pacing along the road, wringing her hands. Somebody should really stop and help her, but not you—you can’t keep having these delays. She should have planned her trip better, had her car serviced before she set out.

Okay, you can probably fill in the rest of this story. You can guess what excuses you might give for your failures to accomplish your goal. Finally you smell an ocean breeze! But the roadway sign says Miami. And no matter how sincerely you believed you were headed toward California, you now realize you were headed east, not west. What you believe does matter.

If this tale sounds vaguely familiar, perhaps in childhood years you encountered the classic story from pioneer days, PILGRIM’S PROGRESS. If the age-old legend were updated, it might sound similar to your trip. Desire doesn’t get you to your destination. Only the hated words discipline and preparation gets you there.

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