Growing up, my dad would get quite frustrated when driving with my Grandpa Bill. As they were navigating the interweaving country roads, Dad would ask, “which way?” and Grandpa would respond “either way can get you there.” Dad felt this was not a helpful response as, in his Tom-nature, it wasn’t most efficient. Now that I’m a parent, I wonder if Grandpa was on to something.
Grandpa didn’t just know and teach the Mapquest turn-by-turn, but he laid out the entire map. Grandpa could just teach dad that the way to X is a left, a right and a left. But what if Dad needed to go someplace near X? Those directions weren’t completely helpful. Or what if the right-turn road was closed? How do you navigate construction?
Instead, Grandpa introduced his kids to the entire landscape. And I’m pretty sure there was some historical commentary along the way (such as, “over there is where your brother put the tractor in the ditch”). This way, when one would get lost or veer in a different direction, they would know a route that would ultimately lead them home.
I’ve done more than my fair share of calling Dad to get directions. There was the time that Sister & I missed the exit to 31 when coming home from Columbus. Or the time that JJ and I drove aimlessly through middle-of-nowhere-Champaign-county. And thankfully my dad willingly provides his GPS-like skills, sometimes within the context of a good chuckle. I’m grateful that he’s been exposed to more of the terrain and can offer direction for a the route home.
I hope that, as a parent, I show my kids the map and take them on long country drives. Not only is it good quality time, but I’ll have hope that they’ll learn that all roads can get you home. You just have to know where home is located and be willing to turn around once in a while.