Changing Direction

Last week, I was forced to take a detour on my way to work. A car had overturned in the single lane causing a major back up that trailed all the way into downtown Silver Spring. Luckily for me, I was listening to the radio that morning and so I knew what to expect even before I got there. Let's just say it was bad and I anticipated being stuck in the mess for at least an hour.

Then it occurred to me to change directions. I had been taking the route through downtown that took me east and then north and then west into Washington, DC. The detour I took that morning took me west then north and then west into the city. There was very little traffic and things went smoothly. Before I knew it I was back on Connecticut Avenue heading straight into the city.

I shaved about 10 minutes off my commute that morning and I was amazed. I had been going in the wrong looong direction all these months and I didn't even know it. The funny thing is that the detour route is not new to me. I've used it on several occasions when heading into the city for pleasure. It just never occurred to me I could use it to get to work as well. I know. It doesn't make sense to me either. But here's what I know.

I was so stuck in the same routine, same direction and same automation that it took a detour for me to see I was going the longer route to get to the same destination all along.

And you want to know something even funnier? Yesterday was the first time it occurred to me to use the same new route to get home.

Needless to say, this change in direction and routine has added a certain level of excitement to my commute. I'm still going to the same place, but I'm finding it a lot more exciting to get there as I study my new route and notice all the things I never noticed before.  Matter of fact, I'm beginning to discover and notice Washington, DC in a whole new light now that I'm so close to leaving it all behind. But that's for another blog post.

So, have you ever changed directions in order to get to the same place and found it better than the route you were taking all along? Share, please.