I’ve been here, on this Earth, for long enough to have discovered that there is more than one way to do something, more than one way to get to wherever it is that we want to go, and more than one road to take.

Some of us will take the straight road – one that is easy and free of struggle – one that feels light and joy-filled. Some of us will take the road that twists and turns so much that we feel completely disoriented after being on it. Some of us will take the road that seems to have more dead ends than through streets. And some of us will take the road that is so steep and tumultuous that we fear we’ll never reach our destination.

Some of our roads will be freshly paved and smooth, and we’ll feel like we’re on top of the world when we’re traveling on them – effortlessly gliding across them with great ease.

And some of our roads will be filled with potholes and objects to watch out for, and we may feel like we’ve made a mistake – that there must be something wrong with us to have chosen such a horrible road.

But here’s the thing: there is always so much we can learn from any of the roads that we’re on. And being on a “hard road” doesn’t mean that we’ve made a mistake. It simply means that we’re gathering information that is helping to expand our soul and our experience here on Earth. It means that we have the opportunity to discover new parts of ourselves while in the face of difficult terrain. And it means that when we reach our destination, we’ll be able to keep all of these discoveries in our hearts and continue to learn more about ourselves and about this world that we live in.

Would it be easier if we always chose the smooth road that simply took us from A to B? Of course! But if we only took the smooth road, we wouldn’t get to experience everything else that’s available to us. And if we didn’t have the experience of these other, more difficult roads, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the smooth road nearly as much.

I’ve been on some really rough roads throughout my life. And I’ve also been on some really smooth roads. Sometimes (like now), I’m on several roads at once – each of which has a different terrain. For example, the road with my husband has been blissfully smooth for almost 14 years. I never knew that such a road existed before I met him, and I’m so appreciative. However, the road that I’ve been on surrounding my health has been really bumpy, difficult, and filled with twists and turns, dead ends, potholes, and obstacles. But being on this road is teaching me so much about myself and about life, and I know that when I’ve learned what it is I need to know, the road will become smooth again.

This is all part of the journey. And it’s a journey that we’re all on together.

If you’re currently on a smooth road, be sure to embrace it and enjoy it! And if you’re currently on a bumpy road, see if you can find the goodness that it brings as well – see if you can thank it for helping you grow. Because that’s exactly what it’s there for.

I’m sending love to all of us – no matter where we are on the journey and no matter what the ride currently feels like. It’s all good; it’s all valuable; and it’s all exactly right.

Hugs,