the detour day

Hello hello hello

After an academic induced hiatus, the late night scribbling was ever so prominent this week. And I think even in my glasses-wearing midnight sessions I have something for you.

I am heavily invested in the honesty and authenticity of my writing. I take pride and really writing what is around me and what speaks to me. We are surrounded by superficial and shallow social media and I refuse for this platform to be another leaf in that pile of bs.

So with that disclaimer out of the way let’s get down to business. I have been reflecting a lot lately on the detour this semester has been. An absolute u-turn and a half.

Pull off the high way into a sketchy gas station at 1 am detour.

“I forgot my wallet and we are on the Zakim Bridge!” detour.

Driving in New Hampshire and the bike rack falls off the car detour.

Are you with me on this?

Detours happen to everyone. For if we are all on a path, journey, voyage or trip there must be times we run out of gas or forget our tooth brush or inhaler (@BobLang). And yes, detours do take way from the forward momentum that we have. When you are going going going its hard to stop, especially for trivial problems. And even harder when your detour is more serious like car accident or forgotten passenger (@ThomasLang).

Detours are not limited to car or plane transportation, we have detours all the time.

Detours can be dropping that class, the one that just wasn’t going to work out in the end.

Or walking away from that friendship or relationship.

Maybe even a bad break at a practice leaves you in crutches.

A detour can be truly anything in your life that causes a moment, or many moments, of pause. And this moment of pause, of forced stillness is the true essence of why detours are powerful.

For a moment of stillness in our busy lives is rare and frankly scary at times, due to the fact it does not happen often. When a detour rolls around or barrels us over, it is hard to know how to  respond.

Do we swear at the universe repeatedly?

Sigh and grimace?

The classic approach for me is the tight lip smile for the rest of the day or week and than a huge shower cry. I swear it changes your life.

But truly, when the detour comes I am now attempting to embrace them with open arms. Because there is the power of the universe or God, which ever works for you, that is recognizing that you my friend, need a break. God is telling you that you need to stop for gas and to stop and reflect.

See your next detour as an opportunity to pause your music and resume your thoughts. To take time for yourself and reflect on your needs, wants, passions, and goals. The life as a student does not lend itself to this type of reflective lifestyle, it is crucial to take the detours when we can to be able to do this.

Be open to the sound of “rerouting” and don’t wait for the detour to be over, rather take time to truly live in it. And I can promise that incredible things do come from being on the side of I-95 with a flat. Trust me.

sincerely,

emma