Just Another Car on the Road: The Shadows.
It’s the wee hours of the night—the midnight variety—and I’m driving down a long road with barely any streetlights. Trees line both sides like ominous overlords, crippling any clear view of what lies ahead—curves, cars, or potential pitfalls.
I don’t know this road. And because I’m unfamiliar, I’m awkwardly attentive to any movement. Opossums, deer, cats, dogs, turtles, snakes—you name it. I’m ready to maneuver around anything.
But then came the shadows.
As I rolled down that desolate stretch, high beams blazing, those tree overlords revealed something more sinister. Shadows—larger, more disorienting, and unpredictable. With each curve, the shapes shifted, moved, and stirred up potential threats.
Despite my cool exterior, inside I’m rattling: What was that? Should I slow down? Speed up? Am I seeing things? What’s really happening around me right now?
Isn’t that just like life?
We prepare for what we think is coming. We anticipate the logical challenges. We use every tool we have to light the space we’re in. But then, there are the shadows—those amplified fears in the dark. The uncertainty. The speculation. The distorted figures that look bigger, scarier, and more threatening.
But here’s the truth:
Shadows are always bigger than reality.
And if you just stay the course, you’ll make it through.
Finally… the city.
This is Ralph,
and I’m just another car on the road.