The Beach

A little over a year ago I was in Tampa with friends, and we decided to go to the beach at night. Ok, I decided, and my crazy-awesome friends came along for the ride. Since I hadn’t been there in a while, one of the locals took the lead. We followed him along the regular route, and all sorts of familiar territory. I was about at the point of feeling confident on my own, and thought I had figured out where we were at (I have a pretty good sense of direction). But then we came to a police barrier and had to take a detour.
Again, I followed. But I was skeptical. I did not recognize the new route. Time was passing, we were still driving and I was getting aggravated. Every few minutes I would get caught up in conversation, start singing along to the radio, and enjoying the ride. But then an unexpected turn or unfamiliar street would get me riled up again. I even began to insult our leader, thinking he was lost himself and was just leading us further away from our destination.
By the time we finally reached the beach - almost 2 hours later - I was so annoyed. I felt like he had led us on a crazy-long drive on purpose and I was so mad at him. I got out of the car biting my tongue, and stomped off to the water.
I kicked off my flip-flops as soon as I hit the sand, and within seconds I was mesmerized by the sound of the waves crashing along the shore. The wind whipped through my hair and the stars sparkled overhead as we waded in the cool springtime waters of the Gulf. All my anger and tension melted away with the complete peace and calm that I felt there on the beach. Suddenly that miserable drive was worth every second, just to enjoy a blissful hour under the stars at the beach.
On the way home we drove back the way we normally would have, and I finally got some answers. The cause of our detour had been a nasty car accident across all four lanes of the main bridge connecting the smaller island to the mainland. By the time we left they had cleared it and reopened to bridge so we could see why we had been redirected.
Only then did I realize that our friend had been guiding us to the best alternate route, albeit long, twisting, and confusing. So even though he knew the way and was trying his best to get us to the beach - and he knew how important it was to me – I didn’t understand, and got upset with the very person who was doing the most to help me. He stuck with us and led us all the way there. All I could see were unnecessary turns and the ridiculously long time it took to get there. It was different from what I knew and had planned for, so it frustrated me. I assumed I knew better instead of just trusting my guide and enjoying the drive. Fortunately for me, I still followed despite my doubts and grumbling, so I eventually made it. And in the end, it was even better that I had ever anticipated.

The next day, as I was retelling the story, I discovered an allegory in my experience. Now bear with me, but isn’t that how life is at times? You are cruising along thinking you know exactly where you are going, and you are in control. You know what you want, and it’s so close you can almost taste it! You’ve got plans and goals and you are so excited to get there. But then, all of a sudden, you hit a roadblock – inexplicably you are sent in a new direction.
You are frustrated, confused, but not alone. You have the counsel and support of wise parents, friends, and leaders to guide you. Most importantly, you have a Savior leading the way; one who has been there before and knows exactly what you need to reach your goals. He knows the desires of your heart, and even better, your individual needs. He knows your potential, and is virtually leading you by the hand through the unexpected turns and challenges of life. Yet in spite of all that assurance, you doubt, question, and even insult those who are trying the most to help you.
My life has taken several detours over the past year. It is not always what I want or expect, and it has certainly not been the easiest path. However, I know that this crazy, long, and unfamiliar path will eventually lead me to my destination. I know it will be worth every painful moment in between. Someday all the pieces will come together for me, and I will feel the total peace, satisfaction, and sheer joy of reaching my goal. Not to mention the blessing of all the amazing adventures, experiences, and friends I will am finding along the way. My ‘beach’ will be more peaceful and beautiful and happy than I could have ever anticipated, and I’ll appreciate it so much more because of the long and winding road I’m taking to get there.

Whatever your ‘beach’ is, keep holding on the way and trust in your guide. He knows what He is doing, and He will never lead you astray. And don’t forget to sing along to the music and enjoy the scenery along the way. Half the joy of the destination is found in the journey. Savor the glimpses and make the most of the moments. No matter how long it takes, we can - and must - choose to be happy along the way.