Experience has taught me that we all live by internal clocks. There is a time and a place for everything. Trusting these internal clocks, however, can be tricky. As we age, we often become fearful of change, and the only time we embrace it is when it’s forcibly imposed upon us. We lose relationships, jobs, homes, loved ones—and suddenly, the world we once knew and had carefully constructed over many years vanishes, leaving us vulnerable, panic-stricken, and defeated.
What was once a lush, green landscape may now appear barren. We don’t know what to do, where to turn, or how to act. We feel lost, depressed, adrift. This phase may last a while—until life starts knocking at our door again. We may feel tempted to check out of life, but life never checks out on us. It pulls us back in through duty, responsibility, and need. Life around us needs us—and reminds us that it’s not all about us. There’s a bigger game at play, one we are meant to engage with.
Life events aren’t as unpredictable as we might think. The changing tides of our work life are often sensed long before we feel their full impact. The same goes for relationships—the cold north wind makes itself known well in advance. We hope it’s just a seasonal chill, not a sign of something deeper. Sometimes, though, it is.
Being on the green road doesn’t mean waking up smiling every day. Every road has its rough patches—unexpected rocks and dangerous potholes—but we stay on it because it feels right. A green road supports and sustains us, even as it challenges us. We receive invisible help—if only we could trust a little more. At some point, we may need to change course again. But as long as the road remains green, all is well with our destiny.
We all want to avoid difficult paths, yet they always find us in the end. No matter how much we try to escape them, we ultimately end up exactly where we’re meant to be.
