Familiar roads

Tonight, I went to my mother's house to pick up a piece of mail, as I pulled out and onto the road to come back to town, I began thinking... The speed limit may say 55, but I flow around 60. This curve may suggest 35, but I can go it comfortably 45-50. I know where the houses are, and I know where the speed limit changes. I could probably drive that road blindfolded.

And why is that?

Because it is a familiar road to me. I have ridden on it and driven on it countless times in my life in all sorts of weather and every time of day and night. I have driven it angry, happy, sad, in a hurry, or just out for a drive. I've driven it to go to school, to go to competition, to go to the movies and to go to church. Relentlessly that path from outside of town and into town has been drilled into my mind.

It was semi-comforting to drive a road I know so well. It had an ease that isn't true with other roads. It is an easy a free road with gentle hills, and some nice curves to keep you awake. There is nothing special about this road. It is just something I've done a thousand times, and it was easy to drive it again, even though I haven't driven it in a while.

But, as I got partway down the road, another thought came to my head...

Because I know this road so well, I don't notice what's around me. So I looked around as I drove. I saw the Christmas lights that are going up. I saw the rabbit run across the street. I saw someone standing outside when they should SURELY be inside and out of the cold. As my hands and feet drove the car on auto-pilot, my mind had a chance to observe the things around me.

I have been terribly bad at taking pictures. I started a 365 project back in March and for the most part, I was good at it until my life got either too busy, or too monotonous. While living overseas, I made a point to not remove myself from situations by sitting behind a camera. This means there are not very many pictures of where I've been and what I've done. However, I have more vivid memories because my brain was forced to engage.

I want to live my life IN my life. And so, while my body is on auto-pilot either driving down the road, walking from my car to campus, or just doing everyday work, my brain needs to take time and observe what's around me. Because all around us is intense beauty and intricate lives.

We just have to take a moment to really SEE those familiar roads once again.