Driving in the Dark
The other morning I was driving to my destination. It was early, 4:30 a.m. early. It’s dark out at that time and eerily quiet. Hardly anything or anybody is out that early. The roads are dark, we don’t have too many street lights illuminating the roads out where I live, usually just on the highways and I wasn’t on the highway. Unless you use the high beams, it can be difficult to see down the road well. Visibility might reach 50 yards for me. I’m not much at driving in the dark, my eyes don’t like it. At times like this, it seems my senses kick into overdrive. I lean a little more forward anticipating what may lie ahead.
As I was driving and working at concentrating on what was around me, I remembered a small statement from a motivational speech I heard a few days prior. It used the analogy of driving in the dark. It went something like this: “ When driving in the dark, you can’t necessarily see the whole road ahead of you, but you drive anyway”. We trust that the road is there and will take us to the desired destination we are en route to. We don’t hesitate or stop and get out to double-check the road is where it’s supposed to be. We just drive.
Just Drive
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven in the dark, down a dark road. But it’s been more than my fingers can show. I can tell you, I never doubted that road, I just drove. I knew where I was headed and how to get there.
As that motivational speech used this analogy as an encouragement to pursue your dreams and passions in life, I got to experience it first hand and it clicked. It just clicked. Start driving and that road will take you to your destination.
I allowed the fear of the unknown to keep me paralyzed for years. It kept me from pursuing my dreams and passions. Ignorance kept me from knowing who to turn to for guidance. And then I decided to just start the journey. I put my dream in drive and started down that road. What I needed to know began to unfold in front of me, like the high beams would illuminate the road much further for you in the dark. My mind began to have the blinders removed and see people and research needed to develop my dream. Dawn was on the horizon and slowly a beautiful crimson sunrise emerged.
Don’t be afraid to start your journey driving in the dark. The road will be there.