I was driving today and couldn’t help noticing the barren trees on the side of the rural road. The branches reached out from the trunk with strange gnarls and twists that were unseen while under a blanket of leaves. Then I noticed the pine trees, with gaps and unevenness. Which, of course, got me to thinking.

When we see a tree, we don’t think about its structure. We picture perfect pines for our Christmas decorations. As we’re dreaming of a white Christmas, we see a blanket of white snow and our mind blocks out the slush and mush and tire tracks. Insert you own fantasy here.

This is a good thing. Life is not always perfect. No, let me re-phrase that. Life is never picture perfect. Up close, you can see the irregularities, but when you view things from a distance, the landscape comes into focus and looks entirely different.

The key is how we view our journey … as individual events or as an ever-expanding story. You know and I know people who react to every day as a challenge. They focus on the “now,” see the imperfections and are rattled by them. Others use each day as a stepping stone for the next. They — and I count myself in this category — look at the tapestry evolving, recognizing every challenge is a learning experience.

Enjoy your journey. The slush and mush will always be there, but you and I can still enjoy the forest while not focusing on the trees.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Nosey people are critical people.