Directions to a Lost Place: A Parable for Modern Times

“I'm lost,” he sighed to himself. Then, just ahead he noticed the little postal truck idling under a timeless elm. A woman in a blue toboggan—all bundled up against the cold—hustled back to her truck. She'd just made a delivery. Pulling alongside, he rolled down the passenger's window. “Ma'am,” he said, getting her attention. “Can you tell me how to get to Gratitude Street?” She brightened. “Sure. You got a pen?” When he was ready, she spoke, pointing ahead. “So, at the end of this street, go left. That's Family. You'll know Family because every house is wildly different. You'd swear each one had a different Builder. But actually, the same Builder designed every house. It looks like a mess: there's a treehouse, an igloo, a tent, and a Victorian. Every house and every person on Family look so different they seem out of place. But here's the amazing surprise: despite all the differences, every house has some small elements exactly—and I mean exactly—the same as all the others. “Here's how they discovered it,” she said, warming up. “A long time ago, some angry owners—the homeowners association—drew up rules to make the houses look more alike. Some wanted the igloo removed. Move the teepee, said others. A group felt the treehouse was a terrible eyesore. Then, one day the igloo's heater just died. The Inuit went door to door: Do you have a part that looks like this? she asked. Before you know it, everyone on the street was in an uproar! Everyone's house had exactly the same heater! Exactly! House, teepee, igloo, tent: Whatever your house, it had that exact same heater. As they investigated their homes, they noticed other things were also exact copies. They realized that even with their differences, many things were the same. Nowadays, tourist vans go up and down Family, telling how two houses can be very different but in some ways are still just like each other. The Igloo's Heater is their favorite story. “It's a remarkable place,” she said, wistfully. She refocused. “Sorry, I do get off track. Back to your directions. Go 10 blocks on Family and then turn left onto Can't Do It Alone. Pay attention here or you'll get stuck. Whatever the time of day, people are doing things for others. Somebody's always on a ladder washing a neighbor's windows, or baking a shut-in a loaf of bread or chopping them firewood. Everyone is always helping somebody. Funniest thing, too. Once you're on Can't Do It Alone, you may end up staying! “Take Can't Do It Alone 1 mile. You turn right onto Unexpected just after the railroad tracks. Now, Unexpected seems kind of scary. Some houses are terribly beat up. You'll see folks just hanging out, lurking. Shady characters, you'd think. Lock your doors and windows, be respectful, and have courage. But, the thing about Unexpected is that just when you think the folks around there are all one thing, they aren't! “One time, a fella's car broke down on Unexpected in the worst place possible. He saw a man walking toward him. The man wore a big, long coat, the hood pulled up over his head. The traveler's heart started racing. The figure kept coming, determined. The stranded fella was filled with dread. Then, an insistent knock on his window. Then another, unrelenting. Finally, summoning all his courage, he barely cracked his window, hoping this crazy person couldn't get in.” The postal lady paused dramatically. “The hood came off the top of a head—just a little—revealing a grizzled Old Man. He spoke in a gruff but reassuring voice, ‘Stay out here any longer and you're going to catch your death of cold. Come on in, let's get you warmed up and on your way.’” Now, remember that. When you cross the tracks, Unexpected is just beyond. Unexpected can be scary: unfamiliar and unknown things usually are. But, trust me, the folks and experiences on Unexpected are often just what you need, just when you need it.” “After Unexpected, go about 13 blocks. Life is on your right. Turn there. Now, sometimes you think this Life ain't going to ever end. So far, this trip's had lots of surprises: so many twists and turns you feel utterly lost. Now, though, it seems every house is exactly the same. Same trees. Same hedges. Same roofs. You think, ‘Get me out of here! I don't want this. It's the same thing all the time.’ Will I ever get where I'm going? you wonder. I'm bored. You gotta look harder when you think like that. Trust me, I know. There are lots of little differences all along the way, small reminders to look and listen. Seriously. Keep your eyes open. Look real hard. Don't focus on the sameness. Anticipate surprise. Train your eyes to spot details you usually ignore. Believe me, that's the only way to get through Life. Don't give up, either. As soon as you think, That's it. I'm done. I can't take it anymore, you come up to a big Hill. It's really tough to get up that Hill. Just keep going. Eventually, at the very top, there's a Park. “When you get to the Park, take a break. Look around. It's the highest point in this here part of the world. It's so high, it's hard to catch your breath. But, let your senses steep in the beauty of your surroundings. The air is clear and crisp. The only sounds are birds, leaves rustling, and tree branches soothing one another. Soak it in! Trust me, every day after that, you're going to try to remember just how it felt. So, take your time. Make a picture in your mind. “Oh,” she paused. “When you make it up the Hill, it's tradition to leave a little reminder you were there. Maybe it's a special rock in a hidden place. Or, a paper tucked into a tree's hollow. Or, an initial in the dirt or sand. If you have time, do something like that, okay? From there on, you coast gently downhill until you intersect with the most beautiful spot there ever was. If you've followed my directions, you can't miss it. Right there is Gratitude.” With that, she bid farewell. “More holiday deliveries,” she said. What happened to the Lost Man who asked for directions? No one's quite certain. Once you've started following these directions, it's for sure you'll end up at Gratitude. But, it's unknown how many stops you'll make along the way.