Still a City Slicker

For the last few weeks, I've been trying a new route to work. The back-country way might be a bit slower, but it's quieter because instead of the multiple lanes of the highway, the route allows only one lane of traffic going each way. Usually some other cars would take the same way as I do into downtown Abbotsford. Today, however, my mind was dangerously on auto-pilot and none of the cars ahead of me turned left onto the street that takes us to city centre, so I missed my turn. A nanosecond after passing the intersection, I realized my mistake. Then I figured to myself, I'll just turn left at the next intersection.

The street I stayed on turned out to be a straight-away with farms on both sides for a very, very, very long time. The next couple of intersections would only lead me to barns and ranches. With cars behind me, in front of me, in the opposite lane, and no shoulder, I couldn't find a place to turn around. Stubbornly, I thought to myself that there's gotta be another cross street coming up. Suddenly, the street I was driving on became winding and the farms are replaced by copses of dark leafy trees. Onward I continued, keeping an eye out for the next intersection.

I didn't see the next intersection. Instead I saw a sign:

NOW ENTERING












What?!? I saw where I could make a U-turn (and even if it wasn't a really good place for a U-turn, I was doing it anyway) and while construction workers watched my only sedan among the throng of 4x4 trucks, I swiftly turned around and left Langley in my dust.

I had been traveling on a street I thought I recognized and I stopped a couple of times to consult my Fraser Valley map. The first time I looked, I couldn't find the cross street. So, I continued. Finally, I approached a T-intersection. Right or left? Left or right? Somehow, I don't remember passing this intersection the first time. Please God, show me the way. I looked on the map. If I hit Harris Road, I'm going the wrong way. If I get to Downes Road, I've found my way.

I turned right.

I saw this sign:





Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I was still about six kilometres away from my intended destination, which is WORK, but I was much better off than I was about ten minutes ago. I headed toward something familiar and at long last, ended up at my school's parking lot -- 46 minutes after I left my house.

Goes to show that you can take the girl out of the city, but not the city out of the girl. Going from Vancouver grid-like streets to Abbotsford farmland roads is still a challenge for me, obviously. Hey, when the mountains have always been north for me and now that I live in the mountains, my sense of direction has drastically altered.

Tonight I spoke with my sister on the phone and she is at a life crossroads and unsure of where to go next. She wants to turn left, but not knowing where right might take her. So, she aims for the right, but then thinks she'll miss out on where left could lead her. I didn't have much of an answer for her, but I hope that she knows even when she thinks she's lost, Someone is watching her and waiting to guide her if she asks for directions. God's Positioning System comes in handy when we think we're lost.

Blue: My usual route
Red: My adventure today