Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals.
Poet
William
Stafford
once
said
that
we
are
defined
more
by
the
detours
in
life
than
by
the
narrow
road
toward
goals
.
I like this image.
I
like
this
image
.
But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
But
it
was
quite
by
accident
that
I
discovered
the
deep
meaning
of
his
words
.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours.
For
years
we
made
the
long
drive
from
our
home
in
Seattle
to
my
parents
'
home
in
Boise
in
nine
hours
.
We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything.
We
traveled
the
way
most
people
do
:
the
fastest
,
shortest
,
easiest
road
,
especially
when
I
was
alone
with
four
noisy
,
restless
kids
who
hate
confinement
and
have
strong
opinions
about
everything
.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to.
Road
trips
felt
risky
,
so
I
would
drive
fast
,
stopping
only
when
I
had
to
.
We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
We
would
stick
to
the
freeways
and
arrive
tired
.
But then Banner, our lamb was born.
But
then
Banner
,
our
lamb
was
born
.
He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise.
He
was
rejected
by
his
mama
days
before
our
planned
trip
to
Boise
.
I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me.
I
had
two
choices
:
leave
Banner
with
my
husband
,
or
take
him
with
me
.
My husband made the decision for me.
My
husband
made
the
decision
for
me
.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through.
That
is
how
I
found
myself
on
the
road
with
four
kids
,
a
baby
lamb
and
nothing
but
my
everlasting
optimism
to
see
me
through
.
We took the country roads out of necessity.
We
took
the
country
roads
out
of
necessity
.
We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him.
We
had
to
stop
every
hour
,
let
Banner
shake
out
his
legs
and
feed
him
.
The kids chased him and one another.
The
kids
chased
him
and
one
another
.
They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
They
'd
get
back
in
the
car
breathless
and
energized
,
smelling
fresh
from
the
cold
air
.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waisthigh grass.
We
explored
side
roads
,
catching
grasshoppers
in
waisthigh
grass
.
Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway.
Even
if
we
simply
looked
out
of
the
car
windows
at
baby
pigs
following
their
mother
,
or
fish
leaping
out
of
the
water
,
it
was
better
than
the
best
ride
down
the
freeway
.
Here was life.
Here
was
life
.
And new horizons.
And
new
horizons
.
We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
We
eventually
arrived
at
my
parents
'
doorstep
astonishingly
fresh
and
full
of
stories
.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique.
I
grew
brave
with
the
trip
back
home
and
creative
with
my
disciplining
technique
.
On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling.
On
an
empty
section
of
road
,
everyone
started
quarreling
.
I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead.
I
stopped
the
car
,
ordered
all
kids
out
and
told
them
to
meet
me
up
ahead
.
I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
I
parked
my
car
half
a
mile
away
and
read
my
book
in
sweet
silence
.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight.
Some
road
trips
are
by
necessity
fast
and
straight
.
But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself.
But
that
trip
with
Banner
opened
our
eyes
to
a
world
available
to
anyone
adventurous
enough
to
wander
around
and
made
me
realize
that
a
detour
may
uncover
the
best
part
of
a
journey-and
the
best
part
of
yourself
.
Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.  For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything.  Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.  But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.  That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.  We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waisthigh grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons.  We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.  I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.  Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself.