6 spiritual lessons learned on a road trip

Here are six lessons I took:

1. There’s a lane for everyone.

Whether you’re hustling at 80 mph in Texas or cruising along at 65 in Louisiana, there’s a lane for you. Car in front of you going too slow? Change lanes and pass them. Cars catching up to you? Move over to the right lane. Don’t feel like you have to go faster because others are.

That is the meaning of the verse in Proverbs 3:6, “In all of your ways acknowledge Him.” The route of spirituality can be taken in different lanes and at different speeds. As long as you are headed in the right direction, drive at your own pace.

2. Embrace the journey.

We had destinations in mind during our trip — such as attending a wedding in Florida and spending a special Shabbat in New York. But we realized that we would be passing most of the time together in the vehicle so we prepared for that — mentally and practically.

The Torah reading detailing the encampments of Israelites in the desert following the Exodus is titled “Journeys.” The Rebbe explained (Likkutei Sichos 23, page 244) that while life has a destination, it is best viewed as a journey. So embrace it.

3. Not everything is within your control.

We used a navigation app for real-time driving directions based on live traffic updates. But several things weren’t foreseeable in advance, such as extreme rain in South Carolina or increased traffic leaving Washington, D.C.

Some things are beyond our power, so do your best to prepare and allow G-d to implement his plans for your journey. As the Torah says about the travels of the Jews in the desert, “At the bidding of the Lord, they traveled, and at the bidding of the Lord, they encamped” (Numbers 9:18).

4. You are the traffic.

A billboard once said, “You aren’t stuck in traffic — you are traffic.” It’s easy to blame others when we are stopped in our tracks. But we need to consider that when we chose the route, we created part of the problem. Following any opinion without more consideration of nuance and risk can turn out to be a mistaken idea.

The same is true in life. Tanya (chapter 29) explains that our own worst enemy can be from within, and what’s holding us back from progressing is often listening to incorrect internal voices and beliefs. Being aware of that can help us overcome those limitations.

5. We overestimate our abilities.

On the road, drivers seem confident in their abilities and skills. In fact, a study by AAA showed that 73% of US drivers consider themselves better-than-average drivers, despite the fact that 90% of crashes result from human error.

Our sages taught that no person — not even the righteous and scholarly — is immune from transgression (Ketubot 13:2). That is why Jewish law adds safeguarding measures to keep us away from human blunders.

6. Everyone needs to fuel up.

However smooth your ride may be going, there are times that you must make a stop. The vehicle requires more gas (or a charge in the case of an electric car), passengers need the restroom and the driver needs yet another cup of coffee — or a nap. Not stopping for these isn’t an option.

The Spanish philosopher and poet Rabbi Yehuda Halevi said the same about our need for spiritual connectivity: every so often, we need to fuel our souls. “Prayer is for the soul what nourishment is for the body,” he writes (Kuzari 3:5). “The blessing of one prayer lasts till the time of the next, just as the strength derived from the morning meal lasts until dinner.”

Wishing you a bon voyage on the journey of life.

Tucson faith leaders, we would like to include your original sermon or scriptures of encouragement. Sermons must be written by the person submitting them, not borrowed from another source or writer. If you are a faith leader from any religion or denomination, please contact Sara Brown at sbbrown@tucson.com.