Ever feel like you know what you want, you know how to get there, but then when you’re there (or at least think you are) it isn’t what you wanted at all? For example, I saw a woman today leaving the grocery store. She was determined; taking long strides as she exited the sweeping doors and making her way into the parking lot. Her cart filled with recent purchases, she was destined for her car. She marched down the row of cars dodging other pedestrians and cars pulling from their stalls. I thought to myself, she is in a hurry or just wants to ‘make good time’. I think nothing more of it. I finish a phone call and myself proceed to cross the parking lot. Nearly two-thirds of the way down, I notice someone coming at me, with a cart. This caught my attention as it is not usual that someone is heading toward the store with a cart of groceries. As I look more closely, I see that it is the same woman I saw leaving the store just a few moments before. Only now she walks slowly, glancing back and forth; often lifting onto her tip toes to gain a better view. Obviously, she had misjudged where her car was parked and was now looking for it. I have to admit that I am guilty of this same action. But today it struck me differently.

Sometimes I am that woman and not in the sense that I am in drag marching around parking lots with groceries looking for a car. But that I usually plan things (you can ask my wife, haha) and have a pretty good idea of how to reach my ultimate goal. After taking the steps to achieve it and arriving where I think I want to be, I realize that this ending is not what I hoped for at all. It may be too metaphorical to get my idea across, but perhaps someone out there has done this same thing or felt this same way. I imagine a mouse in the maze looking and searching for his reward. And when he finally finds it, the cheese is no longer there and again he begins looking.