Just Another Car on the Road: I’m Going This Way.
I have to give props to the pathfinders and way makers.
For a while now, I’ve been able to grab a paper map, use Google Maps, or fire up a GPS—follow the directions—and eventually, I get to where I’m trying to go.
How did I come to this epiphany of appreciation?
Simple. Everywhere I’ve ever wanted to go, there’s already been a road paved to take me there.
As I reviewed my scheduled pickups and drop-offs the other day, I realized something: there are several ways to get to the same place. Depending on timing, traffic, or personal preference, some paths are better than others. My only real challenge is to choose which one to take.
And that’s where the appreciation comes in.
Someone before me had to explore those options. Someone had to beat down brush, lay asphalt, or at least chart a course. Someone mapped it, marked it, and made it make sense—so I could find it, follow it, and get to where they had already been, which just so happened to be exactly where I wanted to go.
And not just for me. These path makers accounted for others too. They created multiple ways to reach the same destination—from different starting points.
So today, I celebrate you, way makers. Thank you for your vision, your labor, and your clarity. You made it possible for me to move forward.
Now here’s the key:
If I follow the path, I will get there.
That’s the beauty of it. The path leads somewhere on purpose. My only job is to stay on it. It may wind, it may climb, it may slow—but if I don’t quit, I’ll arrive.
Isn’t that just like life?
I don’t believe in a “good life” or a “bad life” as labels—but I do believe we each imagine better consequences for our lives. And thankfully, there have been those who came before us—pathfinders—who’ve achieved what we want to achieve. They documented their journey, and now their footsteps serve as road signs.
So, when you wake up tomorrow and find a place in life you want to reach—know this: there’s more than one path. Your job is to pick one. Then walk it. Drive it. Run it.
But most importantly:
Follow it.
Say it out loud if you must:
“I’m going this way.”
This is Ralph, and I’m just another car on the road.