Walking downtown one morning recently, I thought about how my phone’s GPS had done all it could: It got me “there.”
But where was “there?”
The locator announced “You’ve arrived at your destination.” I parked and got out, looking around. Up, down, all around.
Where is there?
Her voice chirped in my earpiece, “head north for 200 feet.”
Which way was North? Was I supposed to start counting steps?
I turned, felt the biting wind, and turned again.
Walked some more.
Nothing.
Popped into a coffee shop and asked a young man serving. He knew his address but not any others. I found out he lives in Eastown. Pleasant yes, but totally irrelevant.
I bought a coffee anyways. Delicious.
Stepping back into the wind, I turned right, away from it.
Followed my nose, so-to-speak.
Finally, I ducked into another portal and called the # associated with the meeting. Thankfully the meeting organizer answered. Explaining my dilemma, she laughed and said, “I didn’t think to give everyone a landmark, sorry about that.” She described their building, gave me the suite number, and that was the end of that.
Looking up, I saw the building, and realized I’d been there, or close to there, the whole time.
I was here … and there!
“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” ― Barbara Hall
*Can you relate to this? Have you ever found it hard to tell here from there? How often do you turn off GPS and follow your instincts?
Those GPS devices can be life-savers, but they can also drive you nuts! Glad you found your “destination” without too much trouble. AND got a good cup of coffee!
I find that the directions in my phone (google maps) is better/more accurate than my GPS unit (which, I admit, I am behind in updating).
The coffee was great – and because I left early for the meeting – I had time to chat with the server and enjoy the coffee 🙂 MJ
My favorite is when they tell you to exit but there is no exit. Fortunately, GPS thingies are updated more frequently than they used to be although I swear they always take the long way.
My phone is more accurate than the GPS itself – but – I always take a “look-see” ahead of time to figure out what side of the street the building is on, etc. One time GPS told me I had arrived but I was in the middle of the road with no idea which way to park or go. I hadn’t done the “look-see” first — now I do 🙂 MJ
I have no GPS. I borrowed one once for a trip to Kansas, when I needed to find a country cemetery. The GPS worked fine, but failed to tell me that there was a bridge that had been flooded out and swept away between point A and point B. A friendly farmer in a pickup gave me directions.
I returned the GPS, and haven’t used one yet. A paper map, the sun, and the stars will do just fine, thank you very much.
There are some places that GPS just can’t go and that’s OK – I don’t mind getting lost (a little) and it’s usually someone local who will help. But I can’t drive and read a map, too – just can’t do it. The phone’s GPS is more accurate than the rest, but sometimes you do just have to shut them off and follow your nose – or the stars! 🙂 MJ
I know exactly how you feel! I am terrible at compass directions. Although I use GPS map programs all the time, I hate it when they reference a direction first. But in spite of this irritant, I don’t know how I would get around in unfamiliar places now without using my phone map app. ~ Sheila
I think I have a decent sense of direction but have learned to first look at the area online so I have a “sense” of where I’m going. I ran out of time to do that before this meeting and that threw me off. Thankfully I had saved the meeting organizer’s contact info and could find her – and thankfully she answered when I called!! 🙂 MJ
GPS’s are a God send but are not perfect. Glad you found your location and had a good cup of coffee.
You said it best, Shirley — they are both a Godsend but not perfect, either. Thanks for riding along 😀 MJ
I had to use my phone recently because I was going to a friend’s house but thought she lived on Mackinaw St, but it was actually Brockway. After I left her house I was a bit confused to how to get home, so I found the main road and followed it until I knew where I was. As I was turning down the familiar street, I realized my travels was taking me to a new store that I wanted to see. I drove right there from where I was. God takes me to the places I want to go. The little store was new to the area with wonderful painted pieces that I hope to be able to get my pieces in…
you make an excellent point, Diane. I love to discover new places along the way and since most of the state is “new” to me – I never know where my adventures will take me next 🙂 MJ
My GPS told me to turn left onto a one way street going the wrong way. Ever since then I try to look inward for confirmation of directions, but I still keep asking myself, “Are we there yet?” I don’t like these new fangled inventions like computers and GPSes. 🙂
ha ha ha! I think I know better, Dor. Without computers we’d never have “met” ❤ MJ
We searched for a Starbucks along an unfamiliar route. “The destination on our left” was a hay field! It’s really helpful at times, and other times, it’s good for a laugh–unless, like Dor, one is directed the wrong way in traffic!
that is funny! I have had a similar experience, looking for a business address, only to end in a corn field with cows looking at me 🙂
MJ
Oh, the GPS! I tend to rely on it when I venture into the unfamiliar, but also tend to distrust it. I’ve sometimes followed the directions and driven around a block only to find my destination could have been reached by just driving straight ahead.
I love the quote. Such a true statement about our life adventures.
it’s a necessary evil – right?
MJ