The road less traveled

I often refer to our life with grief as a "journey" or on the "road" that we are on. I do it a lot. And people usually look at me weird, so here is a little insight into my crazy brain. When you are getting ready for a trip you tend to lay out the map and decide the best possible route to your destination. As we get older we are able to "map" out our plans for life, college/no college, married/not married, kids/no kids. The path of life is usually uneventful...like the interstate, many traveling the same way you are, but when you start to decide the next route...the road splits and you are down a different path. But, sometimes we get a detour...a route we did not plan on, which leads you down a totally different road...always with the intent that you will be lead back to the original road.
When we took our beloved trip to Colorado this year we too mapped out our trip...interstate to highway...highway to county road...county road to gravel road...gravel road to the road less traveled. Gravel roads in Colorado are rough...but the roads less traveled are even worse. They are full of rough terrain, rocks, loose dirt, mud, sometimes falling rocks. The worst is the one way up, you can rarely see what is around the next curve. All this builds to fear, uncertainty, concern, sadness, anger, frustration. Grief to me is like this road less traveled. Sometimes we choose this road through poor choices, but usually it is one that we would not choose for ourselves. The way up the road is full of emotion, helping me learn about myself and the person God is molding me to become from this traitorous journey. As we traveled up that road this summer...I kept thinking; "what" are we doing? We had been up this road in the past, but it seemed changed, almost worst than the last time we traveled it, and it was taking us much longer to get to the top. I felt trapped...not able to see anything but this terrible road and the tops of the trees around us...still we continued. At last, we neared the top of the road, but we looked and it was worse. How could the road be worse that when we first started, it seemed like many had turned around and headed back down, never getting to the destination. I can't blame them the road was terrible and how great could the top be? Would it be worth all this beating?
I won't keep you waiting any longer...we made it. Oh how awesome it was at the top. God had truly blessed us with a wonderful view of his majestic creation. The road led to a lake that was crisp and blue with what looked like gold flakes in it. The water appeared slick as ice except for the trout jumping high into the air trying to fill their hungry bellies. The air was so fresh and crisp but not cold. The sky was the bluest sky with only a few billowing white clouds that were so close I felt like I could touch them. And the mountains...what can I say about them...although we were "in" the mountains...there were still more amazing ones further in the distance topped with clean white snow.
Though we never would have chosen this road of grief...God has placed us gently on it, quietly walking beside us, guiding us up the road, knowing that the terrain is rough and sometimes painful. He gives us his encouragement though his word that we will not leave us alone on this road. As we work our way along the road less traveled, we are blessed with the sight of his GLORY at the top.
Remember "the road less traveled" is only there because others have traveling it prior to you, making the way up to grief and their way back down through it.

Matthew 7:14
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled in,every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,the rough ways smooth.

Psalm 44:18
Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.