Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Mile 531: Texas


More than one way to reach a destination. That's true of most things in life, and it's certainly true of Texas. In a state this big, you can get to where you are going in any number of ways.

Larry McMurtry knew this as he made his career writing about Texas. Same reason ZZ Top sings about Texas instead of Idaho.

We write what we know. 

When I took this photograph yesterday of a tall Texas flag--(pretty cool picture, huh?)--it sent my mind on a journey around the state, much like these coming months will be. (And by the way, the pictures on this journey will be all mine; no stock photography.) 

While some of the rides to come will be up through the country, the majority of them will be in my beloved home state. Some long, some short. Some far and wide, others just around the block. But it's all Texas.

This morning's ride to work was one of those "more-than-one-way-to-reach-a-destination" rides. I live close to my office. But today, I ran a gauntlet that involved major intersections, residential streets, a parking lot, a U-turn, and a small patch of grass. The city has many of the streets torn up doing a major overhaul of the sewage lines in our neighborhood. And while I am tempted to careen off into sewer jokes and observations, allow me to stick to my point.

More than one way to reach a destination.

I am learning on this journey that all paths have something to teach us. On the smooth roads, we give thanks for the peace. On the rough roads that we may not take if we knew they were ahead, we can either begrudge them, or look for lessons, new approaches, or maybe something as simple as admitting that there is more than one way to reach a destination.

And for me, that's Texas. If you pick a point on the map, you can take the direct route, a scenic route, or the long way round. And while I promise not to throw around clichés about roads less travelled, there is something to be said for choosing roads that not everyone chooses.

Texas has no shortage of those kinds of roads. And if we have eyes to see, the same is true of everyday life.

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