For the record, it’s hot in New Orleans in June. I mean, “hoTTT with capital Ts”!!!! As a matter of fact, it’s hot in New Orleans ALL year long, well at least eight months out of the year, if you use my internal thermometer! As a big girl, I DO NOT like hot weather; however, I have lived in the deep South all of my life, so I adapt! “Adapting” means I stay indoors in the air conditioning most of the day and only come out early in the morning and late at night. Truth be told, I probably complain about the weather eight months out of the year! That said, I never miss an opportunity to visit New Orleans.
I love the food, the culture, the music, the excitement. I enjoy it so much I will “bust a move” on those steamy streets even during a heat wave! Now, be prepared if you are beating the pavement in 95+ degree weather with humidity “out the roof”! Being “prepared” includes dressing as “cool” as possible (temperature “cool,” not “cool-cool”) – and for “big girls” this presents a challenge – which we won’t go into at this moment. You must keep hydrated with WATER! You must stay in shaded areas whenever you can. Another way to be prepared is to have a plan … a destination in mind before we step out into the heat. The plan includes three questions:
Where do you want to go?
What do you want to experience?
What’s your goal for the day?
These are the questions we have in mind before we begin sweating bullets on the streets of the French Quarter. This weekend, Isabella and I had a blast with friends laughing, eating good food, seeing the sights (and smells) of NOLA, and experiencing the Big Easy. We usually have a destination in mind, but many times we detour on the way there or on the way back. Yes, we want to go “there” but how we get to our destination can vary. There are many paths to our destination, each with its own unique experiences. As with any unfamiliar territory, we can quickly find ourselves in places we don’t need to be with just a wrong turn, or two. Likewise, we can end up finding our “new favorite” place or becoming intrigued by something we’ve never seen before with another wrong turn, or two. The deal is, you never know until you get off the beaten path!
As I ponder walking around NOLA this weekend, I realize these are profound questions for our lives, too.
Where do I want to go…in life?
What do I want to experience…during the time I have left?
What is my goal (or purpose) to fulfill?
Profound.
This weekend, we decided to go “here” and “here” and “here.” Isabella graciously was our “w-Uber” (thanks, Daphane for the title and thanks goes to Isabella for accepting the title). She was our walking tour guide to all the destinations for the day. Isabella plugged it on her phone’s map-app and told us which direction to start walking and when to turn and when we had arrived. Oh, how we sashayed around, glistening with sweat, just following our w-Uber’s directives! Did Isabella know where to go? No. She followed the directions and led her people the best way to get there. My friends and I just blissfully followed along talking, laughing, and detouring the whole way “there.”
As I sit here this morning, I think these questions could be a good exercise for us to ask ourselves often. These questions could be an avenue to go down to gain purpose and meaning in our lives. By merely asking ourselves these questions and listening to the directives given and, then, acting on the directives, we arrive at our destination, our purpose in life. It might be a stretch but think about it…
If you don’t know where you want to go in life, where will you end up?
If you don’t know what you want to experience, would you be subject to your experiences? Would you end up simply “reacting” to the experiences thrown at you?
If you don’t know your purpose, would you be fully-living in the manner you were created to live? Would you be using your “God-given” gifts in the way He created you to use them?
All are deep questions requiring time, effort, and thought. I am not sure I would have appreciated these questions and lived a life of purpose and meaning before November 2016. However, faced with the reality – the harsh reality – of the finite value of LIFE, I now consider these questions, not only profound but crucial. Crucial, because I value “each and every” moment I am given so much more than I did before Savannah moved into Eternity. Oh, how I wished I had valued every moment of her short 21-years! I am determined to appreciate each moment with my loved ones. I strive to engage in experiences in line with actualizing toward my potential. I value those experiences and seek to follow through on sharing those desired experiences with others. I make a concerted effort to live a strength-based life, so I can live in the manner God created me. I strive to choose avenues leading toward growth, toward constantly thriving.
Now, I know some may consider this a little too “touchy-feely” or a little “out there.” That’s OK. Life still goes on. The morning always comes. The sun sets only to rise again. Life goes on. I’d like you to consider this; Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
Do you want to end up “someplace else”?
Or, do you want to end up where you are supposed to be?
Where you were created to be?
If we don’t take time to reflect on where we want to go, what we want to experience, and our purpose while we are here, we will end up “somewhere.” Possibly, somewhere we don’t want to be. The journey to get “someplace else” will likely be rocky. Reactively rocky. Because we don’t know where we want to go, we will be faced with one detour after another, leading us to roam around aimlessly. We will be so focused on the “potholes in life” that we won’t be able to appreciate the scenery. We will miss exits leading to exciting destinations because of our laser-sharp focus on surviving this ride!
The second “French Quarter Adventure” this weekend reminded me of something else profound. This time our “w-Uber” (aka, Isabella) led us straight to our destination, our goal. Upon leaving, we decided just to walk around. Walking around sounded like fun, and it was fun. However, every street corner presented a crossroad for us. Each stop sign presented a choice representing new and different experiences await. Once we left out on our “new” adventure, at the crossroads, I asked, “Which way do we want to go?” We knew we didn’t want to go backward. We had left, right, and straight before us. Isabella and Michelle looked at our options, and Michelle said, “I think straight.” Isabella snapped a photo of us trying to decide (the picture at the top).
“Which way do we want to go?”
“I think straight.”
We want to go forward. Thrive. We want to live a life of purpose, so we tread ahead. I think of our “w-Uber” as the Holy Spirit guiding the way. We have to listen to The Directive, so we stay the course and don’t get into trouble, or down a dangerous path. There are times the Internet connection is down, and we don’t have a paper map to guide us. Sometimes, we must act on faith and keep moving forward.
We faced a choice at the corner of every block. It was at the corner; Isabella said something profound, wise. She said, “Sometimes you have to make a left turn to get it right.” We laughed at the moment, but as I consider this statement now, I realize this is indeed profound. There are left turns, despite our best efforts to make the right choice. There are times we have lost connection with the Directives. Other times we have to “experience” the undesirable to arrive at our destination. Isabella snapped a picture of us deciding to make a turn. (By the way, we turned right.)
“Sometimes you have to make a left turn to get it right.”
Despite our best efforts, the best, thought-out plans can fall through. We will make mistakes, and bad things happen. These are the “left turns” in life. They will happen. Detours, potholes, and road construction occur often. Don’t despair. Take a moment and remind yourself of Isabella’s words, “Sometimes you have to make a left turn to get it right.” These left turns may be just what is needed to prepare us for the journey ahead better.
Today, I encourage you to consider developing a plan by determining where you want to go, what experiences you want to have, and what is your purpose for getting there. I also encourage you to get connected with and rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Lastly, don’t get discouraged if you make a wrong turn. Sometimes these “detours” better prepare you for your future.
Get moving and THRIVE!
Stephanie
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