Take That Rough Dirt Road

Life’s highways are almost never straight stretches to trek,

They wind, twist and turn in a dizzying direction,

Sometimes uphill, and the struggle is real,

And others on a downward spiral; that’s a cruise to sail.

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There’s the blacktop that cooks when the heat arises,

Often leaving one with a hot, sticky mess,

The clean up can be savage, patience a virtue,

With a detour a necessity to gain firmer ground.

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Then there’s the main highways, civilian’s thoroughfare,

Where the mainstream of hours and minutes congregate,

Life is neither happy, nor sad, but placid instead,

And the drudgery of every day gets in the way.

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I particularly love the backstreets that wind through quaint country towns,

A pleasant drive that relaxes and calms; a weekend getaway,

Smiling faces, greetings of grandeur and comfort food,

Making life a little more worthwhile.

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But —

My particular favourite is the hot, dusty roads to nowhere,

A corrugation roughhousing that pulls you from your comfort zone,

Where you’ll discover who you are and what you are made of.

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So, travel those roads that twist and turn,

Ride through the ups and downs placed before you at intervals,

Try the peaceful Sunday drive through the pristine countryside,

And when you’re ready — ride those roughshod tracks to growth.

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I guarantee you’ll come to a crossroad of gravel and dirt,

Shaken but not broken, well and truly run in,

Life will smile upon you for pushing through your fears,

And the landscape you viewed, will be etched upon your psyche forevermore.

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The next dirt track that comes into view will be a little easier,

And you’ll take that turn with a smile a mile wide,

Because your confidence has heightened from past rally drives,

And your bones may now rattle but you’ve led a life well lived.