Road trip - The bumps in the road

After the false start to my vacation, I made it to Québec City to spend some time with my parents. It’s a bit of a shortened visit since I have plans that involve others down the road in both Ottawa and Montreal. The false start was the first bump in the road of the trip but as I shared previously, I choose to see the positive backside of the bumps. That’s how I choose to experience life.

The second bump came when the friend I was going to see the Alouettes very special Thanksgiving game in Montreal cancelled on me. I was very disappointed on a number of fronts. I could go on about why the disappointment was significant to me, why this person was coming along to begin with, etc, etc. But really, there was no sense dwelling on the “why.” The question was: now what? After putting the information out there, I found myself a game partner, someone I didn’t even know would be interested! And with them, I know I will have a grand time. Score.

So what’s the next bump going to be? And no, I am not being a Negative Nellie when I say that. The reality is that we come up against bumps in the road on a daily basis, some bigger than others.

On a small scale, you wake up and realize you forgot to program the coffee maker. Result? No coffee and now you *might* be cranky and get cranky on everyone. Or, you can choose to laugh it off and pick up some java on the way to work instead that morning. The key is to laugh it off and carry on.

On a medium scale (because it involves money), you mistakenly put your favourite pair of jeans in the dryer and the result is that they shrink into oblivion. And they were the most PERFECT pair of jeans you had ever owned! You can sulk about it or see it as a chance to refresh your wardrobe and try a different style. Yes, it will cost money you perhaps hadn’t budgeted but wearing that new pair of jeans may attract someone’s attention. The key is to see the positive backside of the bump... Literally AND figuratively in this case. ;)

On a larger scale, someone you love hurts you – intentionally or not – and you feel like you’ve been abandoned, and that the one person you thought had your back in fact, doesn’t. Result? It can be devastating. And this one may take time to get over. You may have to mourn the loss of trust in that relationship. But, it’s also an opportunity to revisit this relationship, to see whether or not it still has a place in your life or not. You get to choose which path to pursue.

I am grateful for bumps in the road of life, from the very small ones to the big ones, because a negative does not travel without a positive. They provide us with an opportunity to recharge, reframe and refocus. The choice whether to do so is entirely up to us.