Where The Old Roads Go

A member shared a message this past Sunday about taking on the task of finding where the old roads go in her town as a historical project.  And from what she shared this is no easy task.   

Old roads often had no names, but instead were referred to as "the road from the old widow Farnsworth house to Snyders Dairy Barn.  And of course, road building is not a static thing.  New roads are paved over old roads and things change.  As cars were better engineered they went faster and the roads that served those cars got faster and faster too.  

So finding an old road is a bit of an archeology dig.  

An old road can be a metaphor for life. These old roads have a special place.  They represent where we've been.  That could be the potholes that put our front end out of alignment or the washouts that prevented us from moving forward but helped us find a new path. They also certainly had some wonderful views and maybe even were part of a picnic or two along the way.  

In one sense, you could say, the old roads are still there.  They are still exerting an effect on the present -- they are the foundations of what is going on RIGHT now.  

It's good to archive the past, and good to know how we got to where we are now. Better to know than to forget.  Good know where to potholes and the washouts are.  Good to know how to build a better road and also take the time to enjoy remembering the picnics and make time for some scenic vistas as we notice the speed of life quickening. 

Joseph Olejak

---