Navigational Issues

I never claimed to be a cartographer (that's a mapmaker) or a co-pilot extraordinaire, but family trips are sure set-ups for my "navigational issues" to be exposed. This summer was no different. In the driver's seat, Jeff pulled out of the hotel parking lot, asking me to grab the Salt Lake City map ... as we approached the highway. :) I had BASIC (emphasis on the basic) directions to our destination: Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, with a BASIC (again, emphasis on the basic) map from the hotel desk. How hard could it be? Exit 322 to Antelope Rd right to the park. Grabbing a breakfast biscuit on the way, (thanks to my successful navigation) we happily headed up the road.

There it was: Exit 322. We turned. We looked. A sudden sense of disorientation hit us as we realized we weren't approaching Antelope Rd, but the Lagoon amusement park! I felt certain I could steer us back to the right road, so we "followed my nose" to the east, to the south, past little communities and several "Main" streets. I may be navigationally challenged, but I'm not too proud to admit, "I'm lost." But I don't give up easily. I studied the map with all diligence as the kids howled and Jeff tried to talk me through it.

Eventually we found our way back to the highway and began to look again for Exit 322. We were almost there when it was as if a light shown over my very basic, but adequate, map. We were NEVER looking for Exit 322, but Exit 3THIRTY2. Ten makes a huge difference! We pressed on, took Exit 332, and found ourselves on the way to our destination ... Antelope Island.

Funny thing. Sometimes one person can be looking at the right map, but they can read it wrong. The outcome may be that they and those who go with them never reach the right destination at all. They end up on ... Main St. In answer to my family's hilarity at my mistake, I decided this was meant to show us it's never a good idea to let someone guide you down a wandering road, never even looking at the map for yourself, never even questioning what they very genuinely, but very dangerously, think is the right route. (The family laughed harder at my lesson. :) )

The takeaway from my navigational issues in Salt Lake City:
Always examine the map (God's Word) for yourself; don't be afraid to look together and search it out. "Main St." is a long way from Antelope Island. :)

Photo:
Jeff n Jo amazed by the scene of bison on the salty shoreline ... so glad we made it to our destination. Nothing like this on Main Street!