The windings of the road

While I was in Europe and taking lots of pictures like any good tourist, I find myself fascinated with taking pictures of pathways. Giant stone paved pathways in the gardens of Versailles. Small, uneven cobbled back alleys in small towns in Italy. Lush green pathways along riverbanks in German parks. Stone-red ravine pathways that twisted and turned so much you never knew what was around the corner.

Being the sort of romantic idiot that searches for stories and meaning in the smallest things, I began to think about the analogies between life and pathways. I'm sure you've all seen those inspiring photos of lush green pathways, or those bright and emotional photos of rutted countryside lanes twisting into the mountains. In fact, I recently saw a photo of a unpaved path, crude ranch fencing on either side, with a misty haze obscuring the distance - with the only thing that could be made out with any certainty being a big tree. No idea what kind.

When we take those steps that constitute the journey of our life, we walk down a particular laneway. Sometimes they're the green, lush pathways through royal parks that remind you of life, lavishness, and the richness of all life has to offer - with the giant castle at the end of the path. Sometimes the path you walk on is in the middle of the desert, sand swept, barren, and devoid of any life except the vultures that wonder what you would taste like with BBQ sauce. And very rarely do you get to choose the weather or the scenery that passes by, and occasionally trips you up. You choose the path, and then you take the lemons as they come.

But sometimes, after endless loops and turns around rocky roads, a guide tells you to stand off to the side and hold up for a moment, because the next thing that you see around the corner is going to be the most beautiful manmade thing that you have or ever will see this side of the death line. You can choose to believe it. Or you can choose to think the man is off his rocker. Likely you've already paid the man so you might as well go along with it, even if he lying.

And around the corner you go, hesitant, with high expectations. In the sliver between two cracks, you catch a glimpse of more red sandstone and think to yourself "Great. Just some more red rock." But then you take a closer look and it looks like some sort of pillar. You take a few more steps and even more comes into view. A sculpture here. A carved picture there.

And suddenly you're before an international historical landmark that blows your mind with the intricacy and delicacy of its carvings.

Fans of the country of Jordan will know what I'm talking about. And no, this post is not about Petra. Though you should go.

Life likes to take you down weird paths and throw interesting loops. Sometimes the next loop is just more rock. Sometimes there's a protruding piece of branch right around the corner that smacks you in the face and leaves you a wonderful souvenir of a mouth full of leaves and black bruises on your face. But if you ever get to afraid to walk around those corners because you've walked into so many branches, well start ducking already and move on.

And sometimes. Sometimes there's a truly magnificent sight to behold.