Winslow, AZ

I was driving through Arizona on my recent road trip from the Grand Canyon to Albuquerque, New Mexico when I decided to take a side quest based on a song.  

More on that in a moment. 

Sometimes, when you are on a journey, you must stay focused and ignore the distractions that might keep you from reaching your destination at an appointed time. You may be expected to arrive or have reservations that must be maintained so you keep your eyes on the road. 

And then there are journeys where time is not a constraint to you, and what might have been a distraction in different circumstances becomes a welcome detour.   

Fortunately, I was recently traveling without many time constraints as I drove through the flat, arid central Arizona landscape when I  saw a sign that read, "Winslow 49 miles." 

I need to explain why this was significant for me and why I decided to visit Winslow, AZ, which was a mere 49 miles away at that moment.

It's all because of a song by the 70s supergroup, The Eagles.  The song in question is "Taking It Easy," and it has this line: 

Well I'm a-standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona
With such a fine sight to see
It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed ford
Slowin' down to take a look at me... 

My side quest was clear. I was going to stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, and record the moment in photos. I also decided that if there was a souvenir shop near said corner, I would purchase items to commemorate the moment. 

When I arrived in Winslow, I wondered how I would know what corner I should be looking for, which was a foolish notion because it didn't take long before this came into view: 

If you look at the photo from the top right corner, you will see a vintage flatbed Ford near the corner.  I am not ashamed to say that I was a bit excited as I got out of my car and began to figure out my strategy for getting a photo on the corner right by the flatbed. 

Would it surprise you that there were loudspeakers outside from which Eagles music played?  

At any rate, a group of bikers was milling around the corner as well, and I asked them if one of them would mind taking my photo. A grizzled member of the group gladly obliged. 

A bit later, I was rolling down the road, blasting some Eagles on the radio with a bag full of souvenirs in the passenger seat and a smile on my face.  

That detour got me thinking about when I was rushing to get where I felt I needed to be and missed out on some fantastic adventures, lessons, experiences, etc., because I refused to look around.  

We live in a culture of immediacy, and our schedules reflect it.  We rush from one event, activity, and meeting to another.  We overwork before we go on vacation and overwork when we return. 

Rest is a luxury that many of us think we can't afford.   

And it doesn't matter if you are retired, as I've discovered from my older friends.  I've had more people than I can count who have told me they are busier in their retired life than when they were working in their careers.   

Which is why detours are so necessary for our journey.  

Sometimes, these detours can also serve as moments of spiritual renewal, especially if they bring us joy, connect us with the world, and enrich us.  

I've often wondered if the Spirit is at work in these kinds of detours.  I also wonder if our willingness to wander down the detour paths just might be the very thing God desires for us to become more fully the people God dreams for us to be. 

May you take some detours today and find surprises and Spirit in them.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.