The Quirky Life

The road disappears around the curve. Anything could be waiting around the bend. An escaped cow, a stopped school bus, or a long stretch of road.

Traveling the posted 55 mph, I admit it was a little unnerving. Heading to my destination in the mountains of Virginia, I gripped the wheel tighter and drove from one curve to the next, completely unaware what lie on the other side. Ahead—the unknown.

Several times a week, I drive across a bridge over I-95. And since you can see for miles, I always observe how the interstate is moving. Sometimes the minimal traffic clicks along at posted speeds. Other times, the congested traffic manages to move slowly and often, for whatever reason, it's completely stopped—stalled for miles. Ahead—the known.

Life can be like the curvy and unknown or like the straight and known. There are times it seems to click along, moving at the right speed while we head to our destination. And then other times, we find ourselves taking unexpected curves, not knowing what lies on the other side or completely stopped and not sure why.

Sometimes we convince ourselves we've got it all figured out. The path and plans etched in concrete. Sometimes we're aware anything could be lurking around the next corner, yet we maintain full speed ahead, hoping for the best. Sometimes we poke along, waiting for a return to normal speeds again.

But honestly, we never know what lies ahead. Life is quirky.

What matters in the end, is how we handle the quirkiness.

Do we gripe and complain? Do we blame others? Do we try to force things our way?

Or do we smile and keep moving forward? Do we take a breath and accept life's quirkiness?

Or maybe like me, you do all of the above depending on the day, your mood, the situation, the weather... You get the picture.

Just remembering life is quirky and unpredictable makes it more bearable and easier to manage while we travel around the next blind curve or sit still in a traffic jam. After all, we're all on the same journey called LIFE.

What has helped you cope with LIFE's quirky moments? Sharing your valuable insight may help others along the way. Thanks!

By the grace of God and perpetual spiritual and emotional renovation, Tammy Van Gils writes and blogs about Hope for the Everblooming Life at Tammyvangils.com. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers Association and Word Word Weavers International. Visit her on Facebook  and Twitter.