As I was walking tonight, I was reminded of this story my dad (and maybe my grandmother) use to tell me. I took some creative liberties to fill in some holes. This story makes me wonder how often in life, we change our paths out of fear, take a few turns, and then no longer recognize the world around us.

It started just like any other day. He left school to make the long trek home. Along the way, snow began to fall. He loved the snow and stopped to enjoy the feel of the cool snowflakes on his face. It was coming down harder now, so he continued along the familiar path. 

As he continued down the road, he heard a dog barking in the distance. He had a healthy respect for dogs. He didn’t like to say he was afraid because he wasn’t a wimp. But he knew enough not to trust a stray dog. And so, he decided in that moment to turn down another road. He could hear the crunch of slush under his boots now. He knew he had to hurry up before it got too deep. But when he looked up to gain his bearings, he didn’t recognize where he was. The snow had covered up his usual landmarks. The dog was still barking in the distance, his hands were numb, and he had no idea where he was. 

At home, his mother wondered what was taking her six year old son so long. He was always home by now. He knew not to make any extra stops, especially in the snow. And so she headed out to look for him. She drove his usual route and didn’t find him. So she walked the nearby streets, urgently searching for him. In the distance, she saw a figure and called his name. When she reached him, she scolded him for not coming directly home. He tried to explain about the dog, but she wasn’t hearing it. They walked home together in silence.