I’m certain that most people have seen the quote “All who wander are not lost.” Is lost a place or just a detour on the way? Is a detour really the wrong way if you end up where you are supposed to be?
If you are lost while driving is an incredibly frustrating experience, and if you are in the woods, wandering off the path can be dangerous. I have an “ok” sense of direction, and I occasionally take a wrong turn, but I always end up exactly where I should be a little late or exactly on time.
I like to know where I am going, and I like maps. I like that the map says “You are here” and all I have to do is follow the signs and I will arrive at my destination. It’s helpful to navigate when in a city where you don’t speak the language. In Lourdes, my sister and I were following the blue path on the ground and not using the map. During out “detour”, we came across an amazing candy shop. Caramels, yum! Even though we walked the streets trying to find it again before we left, we never did.
It’s all about perspective. You see the best things when you are not looking for them. If I take a wrong turn on the road or in new city, I see or hear something that I wouldn’t have otherwise. The detours are there to teach us a lesson or show us something on the way.
Unlike driving, there is no roadmap for being (or feeling) spiritually lost. Trust me, you are not alone. It happens to all of us at some point, even Mother Teresa- I’d say that’s pretty good company. Many years ago I felt very far from God, I just didn’t feel like He was there at all. The advice I was given was to “keep showing up” – keep praying, going to mass, basically, “fake it until you make it”. I kept cultivating those good habits until I could feel the presence again.
Detours come and we may wander for awhile, maybe you need to explore a new path, one you hadn’t considered yet. Don’t worry, God has a plan. Know that you are never alone, there are friends and angels watching over you, all of the time and you will end up exactly where you need to be.
