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How did I end up here?

Leela Seeber

VOICES! Publisher

As a new year has dawned many of us are giving where it did. If we had gotten farther it would have
thought to the places we’d like to go - either loca- been a long hike to a phone. It was also very fortu-
tions on a map or a new benchmark on our achieve- nate that it was a minor repair that my poor college
ment list. Some of us will finally take that European student budget could afford.
vacation or get out to visit Aunt Marge in Timbuktu.
Others will Level up on their Toastmasters pathway, 2. MAKE THE MOST OF IT
join a gym, or learn a new crochet stitch. Some of Although, I was a little glum about the situation
us will reach these places or goals as intended and especially while awaiting the estimate, my friends
others of us.... we will end up someplace else and soon buoyed my spirit. Their frivolity and wit was
wonder- how’d I end up here? untarnished. Our misadventure had made us quite
hungry, so we laid out the blanket on an unused
During my college days a trip gone awry taught me portion of the garage floor and had our picnic. Al-
how to deal with unexpected destinations. I had got- though not the beach the garage had its own unique
ten my first car and planned a day trip to the beach sensory stimulation. The clattering of wrenches
with friends. As planned the Oregon sun made a instead of the crash of waves. The smell of oil instead
summer time appearance that morning. As planned of the fishy ocean smell. It was not hard to enjoy
my friends joined me with accoutrements such as the conversation of good friends and the potluck of
beach towels and sunscreen. As planned we cobbled sandwiches and deviled eggs.
together a hodgepodge of a picnic lunch which we
stored in a cooler. When we end up at an unexpected destination, we
naturally ask HOW did I end up here? Was there
What was not planned was the car sputtering and something I could have done differently to avoid
breaking down in under half an hour. Morning traf- this? Do the fates have it in for me?
fic angrily whizzed around us as we waited for a tow.
We made it to a garage and they quickly diagnosed I recommend spending less time on the HOW and
the issue as a belt needing replacement. It was not in regrets. Focus on the NOW instead of the HOW.
stock on site and they would have to get it from the Look at the NOW and discover it is not such a bad
suppliers. This blasted away the main part of the day place to be. Make the most of the NOW even in
and annihilated the beach trip. My friends and I had your unexpected destination. Overcome feelings of
arrived at an unexpected destination. disappointment to enjoy the moment-the NOW.

Here is what I learned to do in an unexpected desti- I hope you safely reach all your 2024 destinations
nation. but also enjoy the unexpected destinations you may
land in.
1. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
It was very fortuitous of the car to break down