Dancing Lessons from God

Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.

~ Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

GyPSy repeatedly told me to turn. Not only the image shifting on the screen, but also the sweetly female robotic voice. "Turn right at next exit."

I decided that I wanted to go straight. So Gypsy ~ with an assist from God, according to Vonnegut ~ recalibrated the route and decided she could take me where I wanted to go by some very strange and twisting routes. Thank you, Gypsy.

I was extremely frustrated. "Why are you taking me this way?" I snapped. Fortunately for my sanity, Gypsy didn't answer. Another left turn. "Wait a minute.... wasn't I just on the street I'm now crossing? Grrrrr." Gypsy responded with "In 100 yards, turn left onto..." I didn't here the name of the street. As I slowed for the red light, I looked left on the street I was going to cross and quickly turned myself into the left lane. There, on the right side of that street was a sign saying the freeway entrance was just ahead.

"Aha, Gypsy! I have proof you're leading me astray! Why are you doing that?" For an hour, I had wound my way around the city, thinking I was going nowhere. When I finally maneuvered my car onto the freeway, my frustration did not abate. It was rush hour. "Why do we call it 'rush hour' when it lasts at least three hours?" I thought.

While still frustrated about being in the midst of rush hour, it began to dawn on me that I was probably at least an hour farther down the road from where I would have gotten on if Gypsy had simply turned me around & told me to get on the 'right' road.

This certainly was a 'dancing lesson' ~ an opportunity for me to take the lead of another, of God in the guise of Gypsy, and follow. Even though I was following directions, I also was watching ~ awake and aware enough to see the sign for the freeway entrance, even though Gypsy was saying and showing that I should go another way. Sometimes, it's good to be alert and flexible at the same time.

Even in the midst of traffic, I found myself chuckling and saying a prayer of thanks for the dancing lesson.

Do you ever find yourself going in directions you hadn't expected? How do you handle it? Is there anything about the situation to be thankful for? Can you see in it an invitation to 'dance'?