A compass that sways in the direction I need to presently go.

The direction is magnetically gripped to my past, detailed experience.

The direction relies on my values to sway towards my next growing step.

The direction is found through my discipline in common sense.

As I fly 70mph down the freeway and I obsessively check my phone for new notifications, I pause, think, and pose a few questions. Where am I rushing to? I am only shaving off a minute of my drive. What is the point?

I set my car on 65mph cruise control.

I patiently realize the reason for the speed limit.

Now, do I truly need to text that person back right now? What is the worst that could happen? If it is truly threatening, then pull over and text him back. There has been so many times where I have been inches…centimeters…away from hitting the car next to me, not stopping for the car in front of me, or almost hitting a person crossing the street. When will I learn that it is not possible to text and drive successfully? The overblown confidence needs to be shoved down to a humble place of knowing.

I set my phone down.

I patiently lose the desire for my old habit.

…now….

I breathe.

I look around…and, actually, see.

Reality is scary. I realize why I tend to rush from thing to thing from impulse to impulse from distraction to distraction. However, I also realize how important it is to be here in reality. How important it is for my internal values and my life experience to guide my conscious actions and my living and dying history of Kevin Carlstead.

In order to have an internal guide, it is absolutely necessary for me to breathe, know the details in this context inside and around me, and want to learn, grow, and improve every day.

A compass that sways in the direction I need to presently go.

Magnetically swaying due to the detailed memory of my past experience…my in depth understanding of the values I would like to uphold…and my discipline as I stay in the flow of a solid common sense.

Not to look around, see what the crowds are doing, and follow the herd.

Not to be dependent on who is watching.

Not to be reliant on those who aggressively tail me as I go the speed limit.

Yes. I will take in others’ perspectives, but I will not replace their perspective with mine. I will only have it bolster my thought process because I know it will help me see a clearer reality, which will confirm a clearer internal guide for the benefit of my life’s direction, my warmth to others around me, and the care and protection of this life around us all.

The answers are blowin’ in the wind. Place your feet in the mud and feel around. Place your senses on the moment. Reality is here…and it’s not waiting.