All Roads Lead Back
Do you remember being a kid and riding your bike a little too far away from home? I’m certain you recall the stray dogs, speeding cars, dark woods and random strangers. Running away could have been your motive or simply the symptom of your curiosity. You notice, at some point, the difference in street signs and landmarks. Maybe the air smells of unfamiliarity, arousing fear inside, causing you to ask, where am I? Time is ticking away, you don’t have a cellphone, your stomach is growling, and the thought of being punished enhances the anxiety. You find yourself on the other side of town, wanting nothing, but to find yourself back home, in your bed, safe.
Rosanne Cash said in a song, “…all you did was figure out how to take the long way home.” It’s not that you’re lost somewhere with no way back to where you started. The truth is that you now have to take the long way in the now opposite direction. If I had only made another decision, is what you tell yourself at this point. Well, if you had, you would have never known of the experience and how far out you can reach before realizing that you needed assistance. Being an artist requires venturing out into the unknown and uncharted. We live in a time where DIY is a concept more considered than DIT (Do It Together). We praise you for taking chances and choosing to be bold instead of blind to your calling, but at some point, you will find yourself in need of directions.
As a writer, I’ve had many droughts. I’ve found myself in metaphoric desserts, deprived of great necessities. Straying away from what drives my ingenuity never guaranteed a permanent exodus. There was always a way back home. It might consist of me taking back allies, hitting the highway during dark evenings, or asking for help. When I feel out of place and too far away to be reached, my encouragement doesn’t come from an immediate response, but a reminder that my way back will be elongated, not disregarded. Taking the long way anywhere can be a drag, especially when you’re traveling, eager for your destination. When you’re far away from where you think you should be, don’t be alarmed. The detour is a part of the process, for its “The Long Way Home.”