The single-lane highway stretched before us. We had only passed a few small towns in the last hour and none were visible on the flat prairie landscape ahead of us. Our navigation system told us the next turn would be in 495 kilometres.
We approached an area which had recently been twinned and the old patched highway transformed to several kilometres of smooth new pavement. Our navigation system now showed us as being off-road. The costly stretch of highway, (a sign informed us this was a seventy million dollar project) built to make travel easier was not recognized.
When I commented on the expensive road work, my husband said, “In the middle of nowhere.”
“Yes, but it helps people in the middle of nowhere to get somewhere” I replied.
I thought about the times on my journey to move forward in life I have been stuck in the middle of nowhere. I was not where I started from and hadn’t yet reached where I wanted to be. It felt like I was spinning my tires and not getting anywhere. The cost in energy and resources were much greater than expected.
This phase has often felt long and unproductive. In reality, each step I take is an investment that moves me closer to my goal. The lessons learned and experiences gained are the price paid to smooth my future journey. Although it feels like I’m no longer on the road, I am actually paving new ground.
The next time the road I’m travelling seems far too long I will think of the highway we drove and remember I’m not stuck in the middle of nowhere – I’m on my way to somewhere.
A dull grey sky and a cool breeze greeted me when I looked outside. The weather forecast for the next few days didn’t appear any more promising.
I was able to pick oranges and grapefruit from neighbouring trees and enjoy the fresh, juicy taste.