Lessons Through the Flood

I love the rain. It’s so cozy when you can stay indoors and watch the raindrops and listen to them land on the roof and windows. So peaceful.

Sometimes, however, too much rain causes unrest and not so much peace. Flooding. Disruption. Detours. Setbacks.

A recent day trip proved this point. We drove a couple of hours to visit friends. Yes, in the rain—a little too much rain. Getting there we only had to detour once. On the way back, though, it took more than twice the time to get home. Why? The map showed roads closed every way due to flooding. So many detours! Eventually, after taking alternate routes, we arrived our destination safely.

As we drove back, I thought how this connects to life. There are clear lessons we can learn.

We live in a time we can pursue dreams and ambitions. We carefully plan. We prepare a map. Each stop strategically marked and time measured to reach the final destination.

And then it happens. A detour. We re-evaluate and adjust the route. It may be flooding, a stalled car, or an accident. Something not part of the plan. Setbacks.

Does this sound familiar? We run into life’s setbacks or alternate routes to get to our destination. What normally takes a couple of years turns into decades. Dedicating efforts to a job with promise of promotion only turns into a little longer waiting period. A crisis suddenly hits and further delays the next step. Maybe you would love to do something, and the doors continue to close. A dream of expanding a family or becoming debt free appears out of reach. The timing seems off.

Is there a dream you are waiting to become reality? What kind of setbacks do you experience?

There is good news. The flooding stops. The road opens. We will reach the destination. In the meantime, what do you discover along those alternate routes? A new way? A new beauty to behold? A new skill? A new passion? A new relationship? A new dream? The times we adjust can be opportunities to prepare.

Our Connections Challenge: Take advantage of what you gain in the waiting. Learn all you can in that place. Keep your focus on the goal. Put forth your best effort. And don’t give up on your dreams.