One day as a child, I remember being dismissed from school through an unfamiliar exit door. As I attempted to walk home, I found myself on an unfamiliar street. Soon I discovered I was lost and had no idea of how to get home. If you have ever been lost, in any sense of the word, the feeling of disorientation can be quite discombobulating. I believe someone asked me if I was lost and helped me either find my way back to the school or helped me find my way home. Over the course of my lifetime, I have found myself disoriented geographically, intellectually, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and perhaps in every way possible. Today I would like to share some important lessons that I have learned along the way.
- The faster you admit that you are lost, the quicker you can find your way.
- Sometimes you must backtrack to the place you got off course and reorient yourself.
- You must know where you are and where you want to go, or you will always be lost.
- As you travel, be aware of your surroundings, you may need to look for familiar landmarks to help you rediscover your way if you happen to get off course.
- If you keep seeing the same landmarks, you may be wandering in circles.
- If you are on unfamiliar territory, a guide, a guidebook, a map, or a compass, with knowledge, wisdom, and patience to use them, may save you a lot of time and frustration.
- If you get separated from others, and you know they are looking for you, it may be a good idea to sit still and let them find you.
- There is no shame in getting lost, but you may remain lost if you do not ask for directions or accept help along the way.
- Your present location and your intended destination are necessary to plan a route or set a GPS.
- You must follow step by step directions to reach your destination.