Attaining different outcomes: how to navigate crossroads

Since moving to Northern Arizona, my husband and I regularly explore a series of forest trails bordering our neighborhood—several of which are marked, as well as noted on our mobile apps. Others, however, reveal only worn-out grooves in the dirt, common at many of the forks we stumble across. This becomes an exercise in trial and error, much like day-to-day living when bombarded with decisions. It’s then we must choose which path to traverse. But instead of obsessing over our choices, what if we were to take the first step to see where it leads—backtracking if necessary? That’s what I did on a recent hike after my husband turned around to retrieve his forgotten hiking pole. I continued, but soon chose the wrong trail and circled back to meet him at a crossroads. We ultimately reached our destination, while discovering additional trails to investigate in the future. And just like in life, we’ll no doubt attain different outcomes.

When did you last stand at a crossroads?

Photo by Martin Joos on Unsplash.