The Roads We Choose

After leaving Polson we had the pleasure of spending a few weeks in Coeur d’Alene, ID. Coeur d’Alene lies just south of the Idaho panhandle. We have always heard of great things about this city and how beautiful it is. Everything we heard was spot on. Approaching the city we were greeted with rolling hills rich in spruce, fir and pine trees. We were offered a glimpse of Lake Coeur d’Alene traveling west on I-90 toward our RV park in nearby Post Falls. There is something about this city that is extremely welcoming to us. After taking a stroll in McEwan Park at the heart of the city, we realized it reminded us of Madison, WI. Coeur d’Alene is the home to the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene. Possibly it was the familiar vibrant tone of a college town.

No doubt the highlight of this stop was getting together with my nephew Cameron. Cam is the youngest son of my late brother David. He is a senior at the University of Idaho in Moscow graduating next spring with a degree in Business Marketing. Playing sports has always been a big part of Cam and Joe’s life. Joe is Cam’s older brother. The first time I saw Cam play a sport was when he was in grade school. David and I went to watch him play basketball one weekend. What I remember of that game was was watching a young boy playing this game with a high level of seriousness and determination that I had not known at that age. No doubt over the years his tenacity, discipline and hard work helped him earn a scholarship to play college football. Cameron is a long snapper for the Idaho Vandals. In 2018 I had the pleasure of watching Cam play in a preseason scrimmage with much of my family. After the scrimmage, they held an event for the families and fans where the players signed autographs. As we approached number 42, I remember watching Cam beam with a smile from ear to ear. What a fond memory that was.

As Colleen and I had dinner with Cam I could not help to think what a man he has grown up to be. Soon he will be graduating college and embarking on the next phase of his life. What an exciting time! I can remember when my career started. There were so many new experiences. It was exciting as well as scary at the same time. I experienced success as well as failure. I had mentors to guide me, but I still had to walk my own road and find my own way.

My own experience has taught me that life does not run on one straight road that leads to one of fulfillment or emptiness. There are a series of forks in the road. I always had a choice to turn left or right. After choosing my next road, I found they often intersected with each other. Sometimes I found myself on the same road I traveled sometime previous. Some of these roads were leading me toward that life of emptiness. I found it wise to choose differently this time. In my minds eye, I visualize climbing a mountain to observe the roads I have already traveled. What I observe is what could be best described as a messy ball of yarn. From that perspective there does not appear to be any rhyme or reason for many roads I have chosen to this point. There is a simple explanation really. It comes down to the decisions I have made along the way. Some of these decisions have been good, many bad. I have talked about this part of my journey in previous posts. What is important today is that I have learned from the bad decisions. The question I ask everyday is; “Am I just a little bit better today than I was yesterday”? If I can answer yes to this question on a daily basis my life will continue to improve. If I answer “no” to this question too many days in a row I must decide what I need to do to get back on the road toward personal and spiritual growth. The beautiful thing is that life always offers us opportunities to choose better.