Finding the place to be.

Finding the place to be.

Maps, compass, GPS, and maybe Google for directions and yet we can still get lost or even disoriented. Every day we find our way to the fridge, the car, and sometimes to our place of employment. We don’t often think how we get there or back but when we get lost we sure question why?

Recently we went on a trip to California among a few other stops. For the most part of the travel experience we had a really good idea where we were going. The three-ish hour drive to catch the plane went without a hitch. You know the loss of direction kind of hits you when you’re on a plane and it is surrounded by clouds and you can’t see much. I’m not a pilot but they for sure have to know something about flying without seeing land marks. To think if you’re on a plane and it is going four hundred plus miles per hour and you’re on there for two or so hours you could be in a bad way without good directions. You could end up some place a long way from your goal. For me it was somewhat shaky at times but all was great when we landed in Los Angeles. So, we made our way to the car rental via shuttle bus. Found a suitable car and off we go.

We thought we were on easy street until we realize the directions we had to get where we wanted were for the airport terminal. As my good wife explains it, we must have gone in a large circle with a few right turns. Now some of you can relate to this predicament for sure considering we are not in any way city folks. As us country liking peeps would say in the nice way. “We be in a bit of a pickle.” So, we parking lot hopped for a few yards to the Burger King on the corner. It was dark and we were by now on the edge of Hangery. Food helped and regrouping for some better direction of how to find our way to the 405 freeway. By now we had the street address for where we were and my daughter was attempting to enlighten the night with the GPS function of her phone. I had tried to use the app on my phone once at home and was still not sure I had it working right. With the daughter with the phone and some good directions from someone we talked to we found the freeway and eventually found our way to some friends place we have known for about two decades. So, ended our first day of travel (Wednesday).

Needing a sort of day with less crazy turns we ventured to a Museum that was easy to find for the most part. A short stop or two at the market and Wally-mart that were not too hard to find and not much out of the way. Shopping bags in California or the lack of them wow.  Only one wrong turn getting there but easy to turn around and find our way considering it was during the day this time. We spend the better part of the day wandering with awe at the Getty. A place filled with history, art, and gardens. The view from the hill top was great to see the expanse of the city. To some it may seem the scene of the same old and so what but to a country crazy soul it is something to behold. Leaves me no doubt as to why we got a bit turned around a bit some the night before. No problems getting back to our friends place this time.

Up early and trying to get going to the son’s wedding in the LDS temple. Gladly this time we had the address in the phone GPS and the daughter directing us as to where to go. Me I’m not driving. Me and driving in this crazy environment is not good for others in the car. So, I’m on the look for signs and blind spot crew. Back on to the freeway and hoping to find the traffic not too backed up. We are doing well and thinking we should maybe use the commuter lane but just about then we have a bunch of bikes fly past us and then a Corvette hops around us using the commuter lane as a passing lane. On second thought we are doing ok so never mind. With about fifteen miles to where we need to be we hope that everyone else is late so we can be close to ok on time. A few miles later and we notice the Vette is boxed in some and we pass it (probably one of the few times a small Versa does that). We finally get to the off ramp we need and are close to the time for this knot tying thing to be under way. As we are almost there we note a car that seems to be our friends in front of us. Mind you we left a good while ahead of them so this is crazy. Yep it is he took some back ways like a boss and made up the clock on it. Knowing where and how to skip some traffic is king in that town.  Good thing for good directions because there is no way to see even a large building like a temple from the freeway in that place. Thankfully the rest of the day went well getting to the restaurant for the lunch after and had some of our friends in the car with us to get back to their house. By now I have a pretty good idea how to get from the freeway to our friend’s place.

 Needless to say, the remainder of the last two days went a bit smoother finding the beach, light houses, and then retuning the car and getting to the airport. After an extremely bumpy ride back to Utah on the plane we wandered home by way of southern Utah first for an open house. I am glad that I have driven many a road in my days of living to find my way around my home state. There is a lot of highway between Provo and Cedar City and then back to Vernal.

Back to the Map Compass, GPS, and good directions. Thinking of life without some kind of guiding things would be a blind adventure. I think about some people of old that didn’t have a clue as to where or how to get some place. Story of a man named Lehi and the Liahona that gave his family direction. Then also those explores and pioneers that can westward with rough maps and compass on the directions of others. Having good people around you in your life is good to get through things that are tuff. Having key things to guide you are essential too finding your way also. Having the guidance of God, Prophets, scriptures, for maps and coordinates to keep us going in a good direction. I met a young man on this trip that had traveled many a road on the edge. He came in contact with some great people that helped him find direction and purpose. He may have had a few tumbles along the path of life but he knows who he is, why he is on this earth and that there is God and others to help him. We all often fall but we can keep going when we follow good directions. There have been a few times in my life that I got a bit off course but glad I found my way back to a straight and narrow path with a rod of iron to hold too.