Choosing the Route to Jerusalem

There is very good highway from where the young man lived to the center of Jerusalem. He knew it well, having traveled it by bus many times. But it's full of traffic for most of the daylight hours. As he contemplated driving his family to Jerusalem for the day, he asked himself, "Should he take this well-traveled road or follow a back-roads route that his friend recommended?"

He was nervous. The back roads would come near an Arab town and through more than one checkpoint. Yet the idea of trying something new and avoiding all that traffic was enticing. What should he do?

On the one hand, he could easily take the safe route if he were too anxious about the alternative. But, if he would be willing to step out of his safety zone (after all, his friend had already done so and said it was OK), he might learn something new and worthwhile for the future. It might also be fun!

My comment: Anticipatory anxiety about trying something new is understandable. It's the same as so-called stage fright. But once an actor steps onstage, anxiety could trip him up, impair his performance and ruin his enjoyment. In this instance, with the show on-the-road so to speak, anxiety could "flatten the tires" and ruin the trip for everyone.

Back to our story:

The young man made his choice. He was going to try something new. He resolved to put his feelings aside, concentrate on the road ahead and enjoy the adventure. After all, this venture was a small one in comparison to his decision to move with his family to Israel the year before!

He never regretted his decision.

Life continues to be a series of adventures.