If given the choice to follow which road to traverse, most of us will surely choose the highways probably because they are built to the highest construction standards, they are high-speed roads that connect to major cities, they are much wider with two or more lanes, and they could take us fast to our destination.
In life, most of us also would probably choose the ‘highways’ – no hardships, no rest, no adversities. Destination is just an arm’s reach away. Who would not want to travel easy and fast anyway? BUT do we know of our destination, are we prepared adequately to what lies ahead of us, and can we cope up with the challenges when we reach our destination?
Traveling on the rural roads of our life, where design standards are relatively low, could not help us reach our destination fast. The roads are unpaved and dusty, and travel is slow. BUT this is where learning is, where we are renewed, and where we are tested. Then we are ready or prepared to face the challenges that awaits us in our destination. These roads make the journey worthwhile.
And though Lom-Dubh, the Raven, from the King of Sleep tells us not to worry about our destination and to just follow the road, listen to his plea – “Be patient.”
In life, most of us also would probably choose the ‘highways’ – no hardships, no rest, no adversities. Destination is just an arm’s reach away. Who would not want to travel easy and fast anyway? BUT do we know of our destination, are we prepared adequately to what lies ahead of us, and can we cope up with the challenges when we reach our destination?
Traveling on the rural roads of our life, where design standards are relatively low, could not help us reach our destination fast. The roads are unpaved and dusty, and travel is slow. BUT this is where learning is, where we are renewed, and where we are tested. Then we are ready or prepared to face the challenges that awaits us in our destination. These roads make the journey worthwhile.
And though Lom-Dubh, the Raven, from the King of Sleep tells us not to worry about our destination and to just follow the road, listen to his plea – “Be patient.”
"Follow your Road"
ReplyDeletePauline Wilson
With so many roads that seem to lead down to the sea,
I wonder which road will be the right one for me.
Others may fall away, dead ending left and right.
But there is this one road that journeys far out aside.
Have you wondered where your road will lead you?
Maybe to a bright day of sunshine,
or a starry night in heaven.
Or it might be you're afraid to go, afraid to go,
But you've got to follow your road,
or you'll never know, never know.
We are all but travelers living in a foreign land,
Just trying to find our way best as we can.
Looking for an answer, trying to find some light
And though we have journeyed far,
it?s not quite far enough..
Have you wondered where your road will lead you
Maybe to a song that needs singing, or a summer rain
(don't be afraid to go)
Or it might be you're afraid to go, afraid to go,
But you've got to follow your road, or you'll never know.
You've got to follow your road, follow your road, follow your road.
And maybe someday your road will take you far away.
Keep following, and you'll find it,
And someday you will get there
Don't be afraid.
For a long time I have taken the road less travelled by. But I came to realize that instead of following roads i'll just make my own trail.
ReplyDeleteAnd patient I will be. This is one of the most vital virtues a man must possess. No exceptions. :)
ReplyDeleteBuddha said that " the greatest prayer is patience". Totally !
ReplyDeleteTaking the easy or difficult road is a choice. But we really only learn from our mistakes! Should we be afraid to take the difficult road?
It is also said that the sweetness of victory is directly proportional to the amount of adversity we overcome.
Isn't life so ironic ?!
punzi, this is nice...
ReplyDeleteis this a song? or a poem?
yes, we are all travellers in a foreign land - seeking, wondering, hoping...
may the road rise to meet you, Punzi!
hi sam,
ReplyDeletemaybe you're thinking it is safer to lead your own trail... but is it?
how's the Hari ng Sablay in your post? sablay pa rin cya 'no?
@ corsarius
ReplyDeleteyes... patience is a virtue... and i believe it is..
ang tindi naman nung isang site mo... bigat!
hi bw!
ReplyDeletewe should not be afraid to take the difficult road because it is where we learn. the easy road will not prime you to be a tough person, it will not equip you of what is necessary to face the tasks ahead... with everything in handy, one does not learn the ways of life.
how are you?
Hi Bing!
ReplyDeleteIt's a song that was sung by a Filipina-Hawaiian named Pauline Wilson, of the group "Seawind." They were famous during the late seventies-early eighties. But this song was I thing a solo thing she did.
I love this song and your blog reminded me of it.
Always glad to be reading your blogs!
Destination, direction, focus...in driving down the road we need to remember that, in rowing down the river we need to follow that, in piloting a plane the one in the cockpit has to be very good at that...whoever we are and whatever we do, if we have focus to where we want to go, we'll reach our destination safely.
ReplyDeleteAn excerpt from my poem "BECAUSE IT IS LIFE":
Life is like a river
It flows in one direction
But constantly changes its course
And is never still,
Life goes on and on...
Because it is life.
It's funny that you wrote this, Bing. I was reminded of my driving habits. I generally avoid the freeways here because I am not comfortable driving at high speeds. Your reaction time is much shorter, making you more prone to accidents.
ReplyDeleteSo I generally take the long way, preferring to drive along quiet side streets even if it takes a little bit longer. I guess this is the driving philosophy (if you'll pardon the pun) behind the other blog I just recently launched, "The Long Way Home".
Indeed, it's not always the destination we should set our sights on. Remember, half the fun is getting there!
PUNZI: Thanks for supplying the lyrics to "Follow Your Road". I LOVE that song!
I remember my brother's valedictory speech. In the end he said, "I took the road less travelled by, and I found out I was mistaken." It was the only line I could remember from all his speeches. I later asked him what it meant. He said that he was so used to being special, doing what's different that it became tiring and he missed out on a lot of things in life.
ReplyDeleteMay sense ba yung sinabi ko? Nagpapaantok na lang kasi ako. Napadaan lang po. :-)
Good one. I can relate, considering that I seem to be traversing the backwater roads of life lately, filled with tons of lessons and experiences, yet hardly any progress towards my true goals in life. Ironic isn't it? But its true nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have to fail to be a better person. And I have been a failure in a lot of things, unfortunately. Has that made me into a better person? Not for me to say though.
A colleague of mine at the office is fond of saying "Good things come to those who wait." I keep countering him with "God helps those who helps themselves."
What I failed to digest is that there are times when we have already done everything humanely possible, we just have to let things take its course. Let God's plan unfold.
I guess that's what patience is all about. Maybe this is a better compromise: "Do your best, and God will do the rest."
Cheers Bing! :-)
hi mel,
ReplyDeleteof curz naman me sense! glad he had realized that early. and you are lucky that you have a brother like him - intelligent talaga.
salamat sa pagdalaw...
hi ron,
ReplyDeletefor me, goals are there to guide, not necessarily to meet the highest standards. the same way with failures, you treat them as benchmark also towards betterment of self and ideals. failures are God's way to purify us... i think.-->
My take here is that it is not the road that will lead us to where we want to go. No matter what roads we take, dirt roads or highways, as long as we travel with our hearts and mind, then we will be there easy, safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteMy father once told me, no matter what the situation is, there are opportunities. Almost everything depends on how your preception is oriented to. Remember this: "there is no opportunity lost, it is just that someone takes it."
Thanks to the person who posted the lyrics of Follow Your Road. The SEAWIND had made a revival of this song this year and was just listening to its MP3 and brought back memories of my days in Manila.
ReplyDeleteoh, why did i miss this comment? 'censya na, rolly. anyway, i like what you have shared here. especially about opportunity. and it's true. :-)
ReplyDeletehe is atty punzi, rommel. i am not familiar with the song but it has beautiful lyrics. :-) thanks for dropping by.
hi bingskee,
ReplyDeletei put up the the mp3 in my site if you want to have a listen. but this is not yet the 2007 release, i just rcvd an email from the publisher that they have not yet released the the 2007 re-union cd.
the link is here.
thanks, rommel. will listen to it. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Bing,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit in my site. Here's the link to this song and congratulations to your new DSL connection. I lurk in your website regularly - just haven't been leaving comments :-)
http://www.rommelpascual.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Music/FollowYourRoad
hello, rommel! thanks for the link. i am familiar with the chorus lines. heard it before na pala. di ko lang ang title. it's a beautiful song. :-)
ReplyDeleteThere's a jazz bar in Makati Avenue - near D'Marks - can't remember it's name (I think it's East St. Louis) - but they use to play this often. It is also played often in CityLife FM back in the early 90's - meron pa ring ba yung CityLife FM? Matagal na rin akong di napa-padpad sa atin - nakaka-miss tuloy :-)
ReplyDeletei dont know kung meron pang citylife fm. i do not listen to fm these days. most of the time sa am ako for the news, rommel.
ReplyDeleteha ha ha ... must be a sign. Ako din sa AM na lang nakikinig, also for the news. Don't know when I started doing it though - seems to long ago.
ReplyDeleteha ha natawa ako sa 'must be a sign'. :-D started listening to fm two years ago kasi mag-isa lang ako sa room ko sa office. thought of buying a radio para di maburyong. mahirap na baka makita na lang akong nagsasalita mag-isa he he
ReplyDelete