On getting lost

This past week, on two different occasions, I got lost.

The first time was when I went for a hike in Edisto Beach State Park. I wanted to see Spanish Mount (after three years of talking about it), an ancient Indian mound made of shells. It is 1.7 miles from the parking lot to the mound, with maps and clearly marked, color-coded trails. It was hot and humid, and there were as many mosquitoes as there are trees!

I enjoyed the walk and made it to the mound. I explored the area and headed back. The path I was on was red. I decided to take the orange path back in order to see a different part of the park (I was also hot and getting tired of the mosquito assault). That meant orange until it crossed the purple path, and purple back to the parking lot. So I set off.

However, I ran into a problem: there was no purple. It was red. I took it anyway and I was clearly in a part of the park I have never seen before (and I have driven around most of it). While I was walking on this path, Mary called and asked, “Where are you?” I said, “Lost in the woods.” A little bit of hyperbole. I mean, I knew I was in the park and felt confident that I could backtrack to the car, but I didn’t know where I was in the park. And I had carefully followed the map!

I saw a park ranger, flagged her down and explained my predicament. She smiled and pointed behind me, “Your parking lot is that way.” I thanked her and walked “that way.” And after a few feet I saw my jeep. I wasn’t as lost as I thought!


The second time was coming home. We packed our cars. I hooked the kayak trailer to the jeep and Aimee (my granddaughter) and I headed home. This is the second year in a row that we have all left at different times and I have been on my own trying to get back to the interstate - and I’m not really sure how to do just that! I mentioned that to Aimee and we both recalled that we got lost last year.

We decided to follow the “Hurricane Evacuation Route” signs. It went well for a while: 174 to 17 to 64. So far so good.

But, there is a place where you have to make a right turn in order to stay on Hwy 64. There were as many orange construction barrels as mosquitoes at Edisto Beach State Park. I thought I was supposed to turn there, but I also thought the evacuation sign said straight. Well, we went straight. Wasn’t long before we realized we had never been on this road. Lots of construction, no houses, no businesses, nowhere to turn around. So we drove on. I was hoping this road would also cross I-95, but as I tried to picture it all in my head, I began to despair. Finally, I said, “This is not right. We’re gonna turn around.” Which we did.

We went back to the turn and took that road. But we were both filled with uncertainty. We recognized some things, but not many. We stopped at a gas station for their facilities. I asked the clerk for directions, which she provided and which we followed. We drove on, turned at the light, and knew where we were. Piece of cake after that! Aimee laughed and said, “This is why I like riding with you. You get lost on the most interesting roads.”

So, the first time I was lost while carefully following the map. Well, I wasn’t actually “lost”, I was in the right place, just didn’t know it. I needed a guide to help me. And with that help, everything was clear. The second time, I was stumbling and bumbling around, trying to follow the signs. I needed someone to instruct me in the way to go.


This is so easy, even I can make the application.

The first scenario is like a person who has the “map’ (the Bible) and he’s trying to follow it. It’s clear, the path is marked, yet he is confused. Is this possible? Can a person read the Bible and come away confused? Yeah. Who can provide guidance, to make things clear? The Holy Spirit! (And God is so good, he has also given us The Faith. When I read the Bible and make an interpretation, how can I test it? Well, does it agree with The Faith handed down by the Apostles? If not, I’m on the wrong path!). Of course, the good news is, the map worked - I was where I was supposed to be, I just needed help seeing it.

The second scenario is like a person who is trying to find the way but who is having trouble. He needs someone to help him. “Is this the way I should go?” “Yes, go this way.” He needs a friend who knows the Way and can tell him.

Hanging out with me really is an adventure!