5 Part Series “Detours are not Derailments”: Part 4 Rerouting Your Journey: The Silver Lining of Detours

Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not like construction workers go to work one day and say “oh, I’m bored, I am going to set up a whole detour route for travelers on this road for fun, hehe.”

I think one interesting thing that we miss when it comes to detours is that they are typically there to help us avoid an obstacle or navigate around a blocked, congested, or closed area.

So, when unexpected twists and turns happen in your life journey remember that this detour is probably here to help you either avoid something you don’t need or navigate so you can continue your journey. This mindset shift serves you in many ways.

There was a trip I took recently with my husband to Northern Utah. I remember we woke up early, were packed, and hit the road on time- whoa, we are actually on time?! ;) And as we were driving (ahead of schedule) we come upon a pile of cars and were waiting for what seemed like an hour or two. Some cars were taking a detour path so they could continue. 

As we approached the law enforcement who were having all the cars wait, they explained how they were waiting for snowplows to arrive because the path ahead wasn’t clear and had too much snow. I remember being relieved we hadn’t gotten too far ahead as that could have been tricky to navigate.

In this case, the detour was to avoid an obstacle. But detours can also help us navigate around obstacles. Either way, you still end up on the right path. Don’t you think it’s worth taking a little extra time sometimes if it means you’ll get to your destination safely? How hard would it be to tackle obstacles if you don’t have a path to move around it?

Detours are blessings in disguise because in some shape or form they are helping us to avoid something we don’t want and/or work around it. And if we don’t take the detour, it’s either guaranteed delay or guaranteed failure to reach your destination.

Keep in mind that detours are actually helping you get back on track and create a positive perspective for your next detour in life– it’s not over–it’s actually pushing you towards your destination. Even if there is a delay. Keep going. You are on the right path. And you'll be glad you were patient.