Detours

Where I live, pot holes, construction projects, and streams overflowing their banks all add up to one thing: DETOURS.

Over and over, I find myself driving along at a steady clip, right on time for an appointment, and “surprise.” There’s a big orange sign with an arrow pointing the exact opposite from the way I want to go.

Signs on roads less traveled

The bright side, however, has been that as I travel unfamiliar country roads and side streets, I’ve smiled at the scenes of farmers busy with plowing. I’ve discovered intriguing shops I didn’t know existed. And I’ve enjoyed seeing the countryside slowly greening after a long winter or turning gold at the end of summer.

Hmm, I think I miss out on a lot of life experiences by traveling the same routes again and again. And I’m not just talking about driving. Reflecting on that a while, I've decided to welcome detours into other areas of my life, as well. Nothing huge for now. Maybe just a new station on the car radio. Having dessert before dinner. Writing a letter instead of texting a friend.

I've heard that doing something unfamiliar helps my brain make new connections. It forces my brain to pay more attention and view my environment more carefully. And it makes my life feel longer  because it requires my brain to slow down, which, in turn, makes time seem as though it’s passing more slowly.

 

Farm country

The latter is all I need to convince me to shake things up a bit. Because, believe me, at age 60, having the impression that time is not so short is a mental detour I don’t mind taking. Nope. Not at all.