Detours are what you make of them. My husband has a no back track rule. He doesn’t like out and back journeys. I don’t know why. In his view, we can go out of our way as long as it leads to somewhere we haven’t already been.

I, on the other hand, am paradoxical. I hate detours if I am trying to get somewhere on a time schedule. They are stressful if your day is full of meetings and deadlines. And my life used to be full of both. But…..if time is not an issue and you have a sense of adventure ….a forced or planned detour can actually be delightful.

As an example….when we were driving in Ireland, we experienced road closures in several areas. When the N or R roads (think state and county) are closed, you are automatically on an adventure whether you want to be or not. L (local) roads that you are forced to use can be winding, sunken, one lane adventures. You may find yourself traversing blanket bog or thick woods. Part of the fun is figuring out what comes next.

Occasionally, I force a detour….just because. There are forest parks to hike and waterfalls to see. I may notice a sign for a garden center or animal sanctuary. There could be a church to visit or ruins to explore. If it makes you curious and you are close, why not visit? “Why not detour?” would make a great bumper sticker.

Most of the time, detours and delays are out of our control. Now that I am retired (at least from my first career), I am more apt to lean into the occasional traffic jam. If it is caused by the local farmer moving an extremely large herd of sheep or cattle across the highway, I take pictures. If I am diverted onto a side road, I try to enjoy the road less traveled and notice things I may not otherwise encounter. (Don’t get me wrong…. I still want the department of transportation to finish the project that has messed up my commute to the office for the past year. I have had all the zen moments I can manufacture in that situation.)

But life is short. Take the detour. Visit the forest. Laugh at the cows. Slow down. Your work will always be there. The things that must get done, get done. Take time to roll down the windows and drink in the scent of pine or fresh cut hay. If exhaust fumes make that impossible, notice the sun on your face or the way rain drops roll of the window. Life is beautiful if you allow the detours to become part of your adventure.