Hazard Warnings

My favorite road sign is “Caution: loose rock ahead”. Sentimentality harkens back to a time when I have traveled through treacherous mountain passes barely two lanes wide with freshly shaved stone walls on one side and precarious drop-offs on the opposite. You know there is danger here, because it is obvious. The only things separating you from doom is a small shallow water ditch on one side, and a strategically placed band of dandelions on the other. And yes, loose gravel does sometimes end up on the road, but you are going so slow it is never really an issue. As a child I always thought it meant a boulder was loose somewhere ahead and it was just a matter of time before it rolled down the mountain onto our luckless car. I kept my eyes peeled for the loose one, just in case.

The benefit of that sign is arguably dubious, though, because the dangers along the path outweigh the danger of these loose rocks which may be flung into the windshield of following cars. Perhaps more helpful is the “Caution: dip in the road” sign. Normal, unassuming roads suddenly beset with coffee-spilling, tongue-biting, back-jarring dips that would otherwise come out of nowhere. We are given the chance to slow down and mentally brace ourselves for the upcoming dip, which is typically significant indeed. What a helpful sign.

But life isn't always offering signs for the hazards ahead. And we all know the hazards can potentially be catastrophic. Lost jobs, health problems, accidents and more. Call them life-shocks; a shock to the system brought about because life happens. Sometimes there are signs, and even professions with tons of experienced people laden with research that can offer warnings. Sometimes, they show up when you least expect.

When you have a destination in mind, it is a pretty good idea to be prepared for hazards in the road. That isn't to say you spend all your time worrying about the snow-chains fitting properly as you plan a trip to the desert. No, I mean mentally. Be ready to make choices that could be tough. Be ready to accept the unexpected. Anger and frustration won't keep that dip from being in the road, or that loose rock from falling on your car. But accepting the fact it occurred will give you the mental and emotional space to begin looking for alternate routes, or take accurate assessments of the damage. When you have a destination in mind, you don't want to stop, but sometimes you may have to “Detour”.