Never the same road coming back.

Multiple people have mentioned how I tend to zig-zag my way towards my destination. And I’ve replied to each of them that this is because I believe it’s the shortest & fastest route.

When returning however, I tend to take a more linear route with less turns, much to the amusement of those calling me out earlier on my zig-zagging.

It’s not about how you’re getting there, it’s about where you’re going — and what for

When you were a kid and you were going to the beach with your parents, the trip there felt like it took ages, but the way back flew past in a (sea)breeze; I think that my approach for zig-zagging, or not, is similar in a sense.

Leaving for a destination is usually with a purpose. And the more important this purpose, the more excited, anxious, or nervous one might become in anticipation of the moment of arrival.

I see myself as quite excitable, and coupled with my dislike of wasting time I’m prone to speeding along, doing whatever I can to shave off some ‘vital’ milliseconds. And I believe that my zigging and zagging is helping me with just that.

Home, is where I want to be, pick me up and turn me round

But, and it’s a big one… What if my aforementioned beliefs about speeding along, and saving time are just a mental construct I built to avoid being confronted? And instead of being a zoomy boi I’m actually still that small kid, dragging his feet on the way to school; home is where I want to be.

All that to say

I’m happy to report that over the past few weeks, I have occasionally been taking the same way home as the one I went. Nothing spectacular happened, I arrived just as well.

More remarkable, I’ve also, very occasionally, been taking a more linear way over. And I’ve been enjoying those extra milliseconds, unshaven.