I did not learn in school that the deep longing I have for this or that outcome is actually the longing I have to be at peace with myself. ~ Rolf Gates
In every experience, there are life lessons to be learned. Sometimes they are just a whisper, but if we listen closely, we will hear them.
I just returned from a ten-day trip to visit new friends, old friends and family. I have always felt blessed to live in California with our beautiful diversity in people as well as geography. Visiting Carmel by the Sea gives me pause to wonder if there is anywhere on earth as beautiful as that shoreline. Driving to southern California brings back memories of my childhood living in a suburb of Los Angeles and my trips to the Orange County area throughout my childhood.
My trip home, driving on highway 5 which cuts right through the center of the state gave me six hours to think about where I’ve come from and where I’m going. I have not driven this road in a few years, but it is a familiar trek, starting when I was 18 moving north to attend college and driving back down several times a year to visit family.
The prairie grass is turning golden brown as I travel along, and the rolling hills cover the fertile soil of our central valley. This road with its wide open spaces is a vast contrast to the crowded California cities by the coast.
Sometimes I am with family in the car, but today I was driving alone. As I drove I recalled how that long stretch of highway feels like the ribbon of my life and how a journal entry on each trip would have recorded it all.
As I drove I caught up on some podcasts I’ve been wanting to listen to, such as Denise Krochta’s radio program, Addicted to Addicts: Survival 101, and CopyBlogger, online marketing advice. Then enough talk and it was time for my “Favorites” itunes list.
On any trip there is much to enjoy and see. Catching up with friends can be refreshing and gets us out of our routine. After a certain amount of time, I’m always ready to come home.
Here’s what I thought about driving home on Highway 5:
1. Let Go. The past is gone and tomorrow is not here, so live for today. Enjoy the moment, see the beauty and appreciate what has come your way.
2. Don’t Stop. Sometimes a project or goal we have set seems unreachable, and we want to quit. Have the persistence to keep going as success might be just around the corner.
3. Be a Life Long Learner. Be open and seek out new opportunities. Your life will be more interesting. New experiences, information, and possibilities are all within your reach.
4. Be Honest with Yourself and with Others. Honesty can take so many forms. Being honest with your situation and letting go of denial will allow you to live with peace of mind. Being honest about what you say and do gives you the respect you deserve.
5. Cherish Friends New and Old. My friends from childhood keep alive the memories I have from so long ago. New friends bring in a unique sparkle to all of our lives, and their friendship takes us down exciting new roads.
6. Be Strong. You can’t live very long in this world before you are faced with challenges. No one gets through life unscathed. Being strong means you can face your challenges, change what you can and accept the rest. Through it all you can have a joyful life when you choose to see the positive.
7. Love Yourself. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and yet sometimes we find it difficult to accept who we really are beneath the trappings of our life. When we love our true selves, and treat ourselves with kindness, our generosity spreads to others.
Traveling down a familiar road can bring comfort. It can be a moment in time where you appreciate the people and places of your life.
What you also realize as you travel along the journey of your life is that while many things do change, some things stay the same.
What are your recent life lessons? Share your thoughts in comments.
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Hi Cathy,
Great analogies. Those 7 points mirror my thoughts. I can’t add any more, you’ve covered it so well. My highway is up/down the east coast of australia. Thank you &
be good to yourself
David
Hi David,
Driving alone gives you time to think and an opportunity to digest your experiences with others. Glad your agree with my 7 points. Thanks so much for your comment!
Cathy,
You always write so beautifully. I loved what you had to say, and after recently taking a road trip and reflecting, I was again reminded of the importance of looking inward and listening.
Thank you.
Hi Robyn,
Sometimes road trips can give us a break from all that outside distracting noise, so we can hear what we are really feeling. Thanks for your comment, my dear friend.
Hi Cathy,
My family and I just got back from a 10 hour trip to and from Tennessee. I had never driven there before and it was definitely a learning experience.
I agree that letting go is the first step in living a new and fresh life. All of us have had crappy experiences in life and it is best to not keep re-living them.
Hi Justin,
Letting go is important and sometimes takes awhile for some of us to learn. It feels easier sometimes to hang on to the negative feelings, but it is not healthy. Life is short, enjoy and be positive. Thanks for your comment.
great thoughts from the highway – you should travel more often:) sounds like an insightful trip – i have a recent life lesson on a highway trip – make sure your gas tank is full:) or at least not on empty! I guess the lesson there is be prepared for life’s journeys:)
Hi Vishnu,
Yes, there are the practical life lessons as well. I think I’ve been there a times or two and so annoying, isn’t it? Thanks for your comment.
This was beautiful, Cathy. I, too, grew up in California and about a month ago was driving Hwy 5 to L.A. — I had many of these same kinds of thoughts on that trip, and agree, driving is a wonderful way to let your mind go to reflect and ponder… Thanks for these reminders!
Hi Lisa,
We all seem to hit that road at some point when we live in California. It’s not the most beautiful, but may be the most efficient. Thanks for your comment.
Like you, I so enjoy driving trips alone and for the reasons you described. I felt #2–Don’t Stop–resonate. Too often my all-or-nothing ego takes over in the form of a frustrating project or task that isn’t quite right. I make myself crazy trying to figure it out. My ego says DON’T STOP! I reach a point of “oh, what the hell, forget it!”. Only then to I realize that it is possible to not stop but I can take a break first. I don’t need to give up; I simply need to give in and walk away for a bit. When I go back, I generally know what to do next. Amazing stuff!
Beth
http://bheretoday.com
Hi Beth,
When we start a project and let our expectations get in the way, we are disappointed at some point. I know I can become discouraged and want to give up. I heard the idea of “Don’t Stop,” on one of the podcasts I was listening to, and it stuck with me. I think Mary Jaksch mentioned in one of her posts that one of the reasons she reached the level of Zen Master is that she was one of the few that stuck with it. I agree though, that walking away for awhile and taking a break always helps. Thanks for your comment.
Cathy, I love your life lessons!! I’m going to print this one out!! Fantastic! I love to drive, in fact we’re taking our sons to college and part of the fun is the 7 hour drive back and forth. It gives a lot of time for thought and talk. Many of it seems to lead to new blog posts!! 🙂
Hi Betsy,
Great! Glad you enjoyed it. You have probably noticed as well that everything we experience becomes a potential blog post, and I find myself always on the lookout for something new. Enjoy the drive to college. Thanks for the comment.
I had some lovely car trips as well as some unlovely ones recently. They definitely make for an excellent time to reflect and learn some amazing things about yourself as well as to set up some goals for the future.
I love podcasts, both for fun and business. You’ll have to share some of the podcasts you enjoy so I can check them out.
Hi Bryce,
Car trips can be interesting as well as challenging. Yes, I would be happy to share my podcasts. I was listening to CopyBlogger which has an informative podcast with good online marketing tips. I also listen to my friend, Denise Krochta’s radio show, Addicted to Addicts: Survival 101. She has interesting guests on her show that discuss various aspects of addiction, recovery and treatment. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Cathy,
Returning home for vacation always gives me a bittersweet feeling. It brings back happy childhood memories and not so happy ones as well. It makes me long for the old days and old ways when life is so much simpler but on reflection, I also have so many things to be thankful for at present.
Driving alone can really be a great time for reflection on where our lives have taken us and where we want to go further. I love your lesson # 1, letting go. Enjoy the moment and appreciate what comes our way just like when we appreciate the beauty of the surroundings when we travel.
Thank you for sharing. Have a nice day!
Hi Theresa,
It is fun to reminisce about our earlier days, but I’m glad you are grateful for the present. I feel the same way. Thanks for your comment.
Loved this post and you are so right that lessons are always coming our way. I really liked lesson #1. That really is what it is all about … living in the Now. Great post.
Hi Sibyl,
Thanks for your kind words. When the world quiets down for a moment, I enjoy having those moments to reflect. Take care.
Cathy,
I’m just about ready to get on the road to pick up M from the military academy. I sat down for a quick second to check emails, but I soon drifted to one of my favorite pages…TreatmentTalk, and I am thankful I did. I’m going to keep Numbers 1 – 7 in my mind to keep my nervousness down. Thank you for your wisdom!
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Best of luck to you. These are trying times, but sound so strong. You will get through this and know you made your son find his true self at the most critical time. Take care.
Great tips to feel refreshed from a break! 🙂 I love how you’ve described it.
Hi Vidya,
Thanks so much!
One of my biggest life lessons has been on self-love. I have even written a whole book on it, after having received more than 1,000 emails from readers all over the world. Loving the self leads to holistic wellness. Without unconditional acceptance, it is hard to thrive and succeed in the world.
Great use of your time even whilst you are traveling alone 🙂 Thanks for a lovely post!
Hi Evelyn,
I agree that elf-love is really the foundation for everything else. Your book sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing. Definitely one to check out! Take Care.
I appreciate Cathy I love the post and I am so encouraged.