I’d Read A Map If I Had One

There is this famous idea introduced by whom I suspect a testosterone-driven person saying that women cannot read maps.  Though I think it’s not as bad as those who can but refuse to read them or even ask for directions.  Hehe.

I have a lousy sense of direction.  I can get to one place one day and forget how to the next.  My brother, on the other hand, has always been the one who has the entire map in his head, knowing all kinds of shortcuts and “lorong’s” that one never knew existed.

But there is this journey that is as uncertain as its destination.  I think many of us have guessed it already, in fact we’re all on that journey now, knowing that we can only pull an auto-drive the day we die.  People of different religions have different ideas on where they will be heading to, but in the mean time, when one is still breathing, getting around can already be difficult.

Back in secondary school, just as we were about to graduate, a lot of us had a ideas of what we wanted to further our studies in, and I was just talking to an ex-classmate the other day and we realized that today, almost everyone are on a different path than the one they thought they were going to take. 

Then I have friends whom, upon getting their bachelor’s degree, end up with jobs they didn’t think they’d take. 

Today, my brother’s friend announced that she’s getting married in December.  Since I knew her she was tomboyish, and she always mixed with the guys.  And now she’s the first of that lot to tie the knot.  I wonder if she saw that coming.

Some people are very driven, they know what they want, and they go all out to get it. But along the way, things happen.  Love, death, tiredness, obligations, children, religion and all kinds of good and bad stuff that changes their priorities. 

That’s like wanting to go to China but you take an entirely different route and land in Australia.  There’s no map for this.  Each path is determined by our actions and choices. 

So how do we overcome this maze?  I guess we don’t.  It’s a lifelong road trip, hoping that our good actions will get us on the right track, win us some clues along the way, and leave our mark wherever we go.  And maybe someday, someday the destination we’ve all been dreaming of, might just appear right in front of us.  Some say that’s when your dreams come true.

In the meantime, just like any road trip, let’s pack in a good book, good music, stop along any good eateries along the way, make good friends, pray a little, laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly let’s just sit back, and enjoy the ride. 

Have a good week, everybody.