Left at Albuquerque!
Bugs Bunny is nothing if not famous for uttering the line, “You know, I knew I should’ve taken a left turn at Albuquerque.”
Ok, so that line is no where near as famous as his, “Hey! What’s up Doc?”, but it’s famous none-the-less! And since I was driving through A-town on the way to Phoenix, Brian and I couldn’t help but bust-out our best Bugs Bunny impersonations. Ah, sometimes it’s the little things that make life!
Thee important thing to take-away from Bugs Bunny’s antics is that even though you may take a “wrong turn” (or as I prefer to say it – a longer journey), you need to live in the moment and enjoy the experience! Take the longer journey in stride and appreciate the situation you’ve released yourself into. Trust that you’re meant to have that moment. Learn from it and then move towards your destination.
Just look at what I experienced by taking the longer journey from Wisconsin to Arizona:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – ESTES PARK, CO. This is a shot of the highest point I reached. It’s two miles above sea-level and this picture just simply does not do it justice! In person, this view is absolutely terrifying and wonder-filled. You experience this sense of amazement – it’s that “You made it!” feeling. You know the one!!!
GARDEN OF THE GODS – COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. Do you see the kissing camels? And of all things, while walking through the park, I overheard a Green Bay Packers conversation. Needless to say, I joined in! Turns out a guy from ‘Sconnie was visiting his parents for Mother’s Day, and they had struck up a debate with a young professional from Washington, DC. Soon we turned the conversation into a discussion on local breweries. And wouldn’t you know it? The good son brought up Leinies and asked if I was going to take a picture for their newsletter. Sure enough, I had a six-pack of Leinie’s Red in my trunk for my soon-to-be roommates. Although we didn’t take the picture (I declined to sneak booze into a family-friendly park), I now have a few new friends in Colorado Springs. Happy day!
ROYAL GORGE OF THE ARKANSAS – CANON CITY, CO. After driving through a parade route for Canon City’s 73rd Music & Blossom Festival (where every middle school and high school marching within a 100-mile radius was performing) I made it to the natural wonder that is the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas. I was (AGAIN!) blown away by Mother Nature and Modern Man. As in the Rockies, the combination of human ingenuity and nature is beyond marvelous. The second-highest suspension bridge in the world, 955 feet above the Arkansas River that you can (if you so choose) drive a car across. A 45-degree rail cart up and down the side of a cliff. An aerial tram from one side of the gorge to the other. The World’s Scariest Sky Coaster. Really! Just absolutely incredible!
So here’s to taking ownership of the “wrong turn” or as we’ll call it, “the longer journey”! Embrace it and appreciate the time spent experiencing it. Then, move enthusiastically towards your destination refreshed, enlightened and at peace.
Are you ready for the journey to begin?
About Sara
Sara Hefty (B.B.A. and H.H.C.) teaches workaholic women how to have it all and flourish without burning out, binging or being spiteful. As an expert in transformational health coaching, she holds women accountable for letting go of unwanted weight, being brilliantly nourished, grounded in truth and feeling confident, happy and playful every single day.
As a woman with her own weight loss story, wide-ranging family heritage of cancer, and a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Sara’s appreciation for convenient nutrient-dense food, personal growth, inspiring design, financial responsibility, and social entrepreneurship led to her “Pursuit of Ownership: Health, Home, and Legacy” model of heart-on-fire-hot empowered living.
Sara is the founder of PROJECT LUX and SaraHefty.com. She currently lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with her husband Brian and hound-dog Raja.
