How to win at that thing called life.
I’ve been spending a fair amount of time pondering this lately as I am soon to be yet another year older. The last 12 months have been turbulent for me to say the very least and led me to question everything I thought I knew. I’m happy to say I’ve reached a few conclusions and I’d like to share them with you. You may agree, disagree or just think I’m generally mad, but if it helps someone gain a bit of perspective then at least it may have achieved something.
What is life?
Is there a deep, philosophical or theological reason why we are here? I don’t believe there is. When our parents conceive us they set us on a journey – we are given no choice in this, they set the motor running and tow us along with them. Depending on circumstances and on our parents’ own journey, this may be a smooth, well-maintained road or a rocky dirt track. As children we are taken along for the ride and allowed to peer out of the windows, learning the ways of the road ahead for ourselves.
Every person’s road is different, but each one has frequent junctions where the roads of other people intersect it. Some roads will be tragically short and others will stretch out way into the distance. The thing you don’t realise until the trip is well underway is that the all the roads ultimately lead to the same place – oblivion, and that it’s not a race to get there.
This sounds grim, but in reality the fact that there is no ultimate destination doesn’t really matter. The journey is all there is and so you have to appreciate it for what it is.
So how can you win a journey that’s not a race?
Like any road trip, many things can influence how the journey goes. The comfort of your vehicle, the quality of the road and the other travellers you encounter on the way.
Some of your journey may be filled with joyous songs and laughter; full of wonder at the sights you see along the way. Some of your journey will be full of misery, fist-shaking road rage and monotony.
Unfortunately, there is no map or sat-nav available on this trip and each junction we take has to be considered carefully. Choose the junctions that will bring the most happiness to you and those around you, make the journey long and see as many of the incredible tourist attractions as you possibly can.
A good journey is one where the former joy has outweighed the latter misery.
A winning journey is one where you have had a good journey and also been a good driver.
A good driver will be considerate and ensure the safety of other road users, help other travellers who have lost their way or broken down and allow people their right of way where your roads cross.
A bad driver will drive recklessly and put others at risk, shout and swear at people who get in their way, have no regard for other people who must travel alongside them for a while. The worst drivers will blame other motorists for their own errors, deliberately give people the wrong directions to clear the road ahead for themselves. They will lie and cheat in an attempt to win a race that doesn’t exist.
When your journey does finally end, consider not where you arrived, but how you got there and how many other travellers’ trips you made easier or more enjoyable.
Personally I would consider myself a contender. My journey hasn’t been perfect - I have taken some badly judged turnings and caused more than a few dents, but my L plates are off now so I have no more excuses. My driving is improving and I am learning the right roads to take. I am trying to tow people along in my slipstream when I can, give them directions if they are lost and help make their trip a bit less tedious. I hope to have a place on the podium as a winner when the journey ends, and to have my friends standing right there beside me.
You may meet me on the road some day. My vehicle has THELEMA written on the sides and the number 93 on the bonnet.
Jeez, did you see that head come apart?
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