“There Are No Shortcuts”
One morning I followed a semi-truck across Balsam Mountain from my Haywood County home to Sylva. I got behind the truck along about the exit from US 23-74 for Hazelwood. The traveling speed for both of us was about the same. I stayed behind the truck until we were most of the way up the eastern side of the mountain. I passed him as his speed had decreased due to the climbing grade. Soon after we proceeded to and passed through Balsam Gap the truck passed me. I followed it all of the way down the mountain; losing it when I took the exit to Sylva and Western Carolina University.
I have no idea the owner of the trucking/transport company that had the driver heading west, transporting whatever was inside of the trailer. However, I do remember the motto of the company that was painted on the rear doors of the trailer. In red, the words read “There are no shortcuts”. As I followed the truck I found myself remembering something from my past.
A few years ago I was visiting the Fall Creek Falls State Park, located on the Cumberland Plateau, near Dayton, Tennessee. It is one of the most beautiful parks that I have been blessed to spend some time visiting. While there, my daughters, their mother, and I hiked down the trail to the bottom of the ravine to the foot of the majestic Fall Creek Falls. The trail is steep. It switches back-and-forth over the face on the side of the ravine. It is about a mile from the top to the bottom. The descent/ascent (depending on whether you are going down or coming back up) is a steady progression and change in elevation. The trail is narrow. As you approach one of the switch-backs, you see where some have cut off the “park maintained trail” in order to shorten the distance. This has destroyed the vegetation and created gullies that show evidence of being “washes” during rainstorms. The result of the “shortcuts” is not very pretty at all. Therefore, in an effort to discourage hikers from leaving the trail and taking the shortcuts, the Falls Creek Falls State Park staff has placed a number of small signs along the trail that read “No Shortcuts Allowed”.
Why is it that “shortcuts” are a part of the journey for many of us? It seems as though lots of folks spend lots of time, thought, and energy trying to create shortcuts to wherever it is they are attempting to go. There seems to be no shortage of questions to be asked: Is there an easier way? Can I follow a shorter path? What can be done to save time?” Is there a way to accomplish this without having to expend all of price this task demands? Is it possible to find a cheaper model that will just do whatever it is that is required? Can I just be able to get by with less, for less? Of course, I could go on and on offering interrogative sentences. I see no need to do so. You have gotten my point by now.
As I followed the truck on my way to work that morning I thought about the business of “shortcuts” and that part of me that desires to find them. However, I, also, thought of some of the lessons that I have learned along the way; from so many experiences, influential people, and missteps. I hear the voices saying “Anything worth doing, is worth doing well”, “Nothing comes easy. You have to be willing to work for it”, “If you will put a little ‘elbow grease’ into it your time will be well spent”, “You just have to push on. You’ll get there”, and so forth.
Oh well! Now if I can just find a shortcut to getting all of the multi-flora roses sprayed in the pasture at my home I’ll have some time to sit in the shade and ponder the great mysteries of life.