Over the next few days, we will drive down to our condo on Longboat Key, off Sarasota, Florida. Having used the standard Interstate routes on numerous occasions, we plan a detour in southern Tennessee and northern Georgia, followed by a southerly route through eastern Georgia, South Carolina and eastern Florida.
In the north Georgia mountains, we intend to visit at least one of many State Parks, where several hours of hiking will temporarily disrupt our travel; since the remainder of the journey will cross a good deal of new terrain, more stops and detours are almost sure to follow. After all, this longer route will probably be a one-time experience and the opportunity to explore certain sites may never come again.
On our journey through life, detours enrich the experience. While some are planned, many are unexpected; though the latter may be aggravating, prolonging our journey and delaying our goal, they expose us to new people, interesting places and unique perspectives. Life without detours is far less rewarding.
