Lose it...so that you have something to find

This Christmas my mom and my sister gave me a global positioning system. That's right, I am now a proud owner of a GPS. So far, I have really enjoyed it. I always know how far I am from where I'm heading, I also know that I am always speeding and I always know that I need to "take the next exit." It is really cool, and I don't have to worry about getting lost…but is that always a good thing?

The helpful riding companion that my GPS has become got me thinking about the times I have gotten lost in my life. What does it even mean to get lost?

When I was about five years old, I was shopping with my family at the mall, and we were going to get on the elevator to go to the next level of shopping. I walked into the elevator, the door shut and then I realized my family was not with me. It was just me and one other person riding the elevator together, and each second I was heading further and further away from safety and my family. The fear that filled my little five-year-old body is still remembered today.

This was my first memory of being lost and it was not a happy one. Of course, I can look back on this moment, laugh and be thankful for the man in the elevator that brought me back to my family. But this instance placed a negative feeling with being lost.

It wasn't until middle school, when I would go bike riding with my friend, Ashley, that the idea of being lost started to sound like a positive thing. She and I would explore the neighborhoods outside of our own. While doing this, we found that there was so much more than the six streets that made our block. The scary feeling of being a little bit too far from home was a thrill and we always had to learn to find our way back.

Obviously since middle school, I have been lost a few more times, some not as planned as the bike rides were, but each always a learning experience. Getting in the car and getting lost can be helpful to learn a new area, to find new places and a good way to just see what else is out there.

Of course, there are more ways to get lost than losing your family at the mall, riding your bike on the other side of the neighborhood or driving in new areas. I believe that it is necessary to lose something before you can find it again. Every once and a while it is important to lose ourselves, loosen up our grip on reality and try to find the people we really want to be.

Sticking to a straight path and not allowing ourselves to find the hidden secrets along our journey only affects us in a negative way and keeps us from experiencing the true joys of life.

As cool as it is that I have the possibility of knowing where on the globe I am at all times, I try to remember all that I have learned from being lost in my past and all that I have to learn from being lost in my future. Every now and then, I turn off the GPS, find new things, explore new adventures and enjoy the scenery along the way.

So the next time you get lost, whether it is intentional or by accident, don't panic; take advantage of finding new things on your way back.