Dead Ends

Have you shied away from something because you felt it would just lead to a dead end. Read on as I share with you my "dead end" experience.

For 43 years, Vivian and I have loved to take off on weekends just to explore new places. We drive for hours into Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut among other states. We especially love the mountains.

On one of these explorations, I mistakenly turned onto a dead end road. The sign was set back so by the time I noticed, it was to late. Vivian wanted me to back up . The road looked deserted, and she was sure finding a place to turn around later would be a disaster.

Being a "man" I didn't listen and told her not to worry about it.

The dirt road soon became a bed of rocks with tress cuddled close around us. Little bumps became small rained out canyons as I managed to maneuver around them. My wife began telling me ..... Well let's skip that part.

About a mile further, the tress gave way to the beginning of huge swamp. A little further, it looked like a scene from "The Devil and Tom Walker" Stumps of long ago dead, rotted trees gathered in its middle, with an occasional prostrate tree half in -half out of the waterway.

We observed a statue like crane hidden within the overgrown moss, hanging plants, and eerie variety of greenish brown plant life, as it waited for its lunch to happen by. Though we couldn't see them, the sound of what seem like a thousand birds was all around us.

We got out of the car and walked along the bog; it seemed as though we were in another time. We explored, by foot, for about an hour - each minute more exciting than the last.

Upon leaving, we finally found the end of the road, and yes it was mighty difficult to get the car turned around. But what an experience.

I thought how lucky we were that we didn't see the "Dead End" sign. How much we would have missed that day: the great memories, the moments to share. I wondered how many other dead ends we have passed by just because they would eventually lead to "nowhere".

I also wondered in life how many opportunities, relationships, and life experiences we neglected thinking, "what's the sense", they would only lead to nowhere anyway, not fully realizing that on the way to the dead end, we might enjoy some of the best experiences of our lives.

I can assure you, that there are few "dead ends" that are passed by me now, both on the road and in my life. Just a "Thought by the C."