The Road to Clarity and Understanding

Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, I am almost singing in my head as I write the words. It does conjure magic doesn’t it? So where is my yellow brick road taking me? How far is Oz? How will I know I am there? And as I contemplate these questions I realize that none of those questions are really the right one. It’s more what adventures does the road have in store for me? What kind of twists and turns will it have? Who might I meet along the journey?

I think for me the yellow brick road symbolizes the way to the light, the way to clarity and understanding. What this journey has taught me is that the road always leads to the right place at the right time, even if it’s not the time I thought I wanted or needed. In the last few years, blessed more often than not, with taking the time to be still and silent, the messages, the gut feelings, the hints come. Actually, more like spill on the yellow brick road right at my feet. The number of synchronicities come flying out, which I am sure were there before, but I failed to notice.

Big things, such as years ago I was in a job I disliked, but I knew a buyout was coming so I hung in for a long time. The buyout came, not along my timeline, but a week to the day before my son started having seizures. Why? Because the timing meant I needed time off to be able to start to piece together what this new reality would mean for our lives. Similarly, just a few weeks ago, I had applied for a change of job in my current organization. I got the news that I didn’t get the job, the day after my dad was diagnosed with cancer. No time to overdo it on the job front, I needed to have the time to help and support my parents.

Little things such as this blog for instance. Recently, I’d had a conversation with a friend and former blogger because I was feeling the need to share my story, and was toying with the idea of either a blog or a book, or both or neither. And then shortly thereafter I was serendipitously approached to be apart of this amazing community. Another little thing came out of a coffee with that same friend, no matter how much time has passed between meetings and conversations the feeling is that really no time has passed at all. We had a conversation about feeling whole as is, and embracing the cracks in our “homes” and what should show up on my Facebook feed that same day was a beautiful reminder. In Japan broken objects are repaired in gold and the flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object’s history adding to its beauty.

The more I am on this path, the more it’s apparent that there are no coincidences. So, for me the yellow brick road is the path of serendipity. It’s truly magical and wonder-filled, motivating me to be still and listen for its hints. Which path to choose is my only dilemma now!

Written by: Melanie Groves