The Familiar Road

The Familiar Road

"Mony an ane speers the road he hens weel."
[Many a one inquires about the road he knows well.]
   -_______Scots Proverb


  Our anxiety to know that we are on the right road and performing life's actions in the correct manner often leaves us a long way from our destination. This syndrome is found in perpetual students who are always taking courses, and in those who take every known therapeutic aid even thought their health is good. It can be caused by an excessive perfectionism, a longing for approval, or by sheer blind doggedness.  A lack of confidence or validation often prevents us from realizing the obvious: if we perpetually seek some outer approval for our actions, we will never consciously walk our own road.

  A Welsh proverb that complements this Scots one tell us that 'he travels fastest who takes the road that he know';  in other words, the path of least resistance yields speedier results. Swimming against the tide is hard work, requiring more energy than we may have to give out, exhausting us before we arrive. If we can recognize the tides of our own life, we will begin to move with their flow with grace and ease.

  Of course, it is not always of benefit to only and always take the road that we know best. Choosing the predictable path, never exploring the byways or parallel tracks that could enrich our journey, may lead to complacency and a dull demeanor. But it is good, on the predictable path, to get in touch with our own power and purpose, to not always be seeking the approval of someone else.

"What destination have you already reached (and yet are still struggling to attain)? Where are you swimming upstream in your life?"
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]