Albert Einstein once said that crisis is the greatest blessing that can happen to people, because it brings progress. And indeed, every crisis we have, suffer, or witness gives us an opportunity — a new chance to do things differently, to correct our mistakes, or to take another path in this great learning experience called life.
And anything that happens while you’re traveling — anything that throws you off balance — is also an opportunity.
That’s precisely the idea we want to focus on today. The road. But not in the metaphorical sense — in the literal one.
Let me put you, dear reader, in the situation.
Imagine you’re in Mallorca, driving through one of the island’s most beautiful villages — say, Binissalem (near Inca). You’ve gone there to run some errands, or it’s simply part of today’s route on your agenda. Everything’s going smoothly until, for some reason — sometimes logic simply fails us — you end up following a road you didn’t expect. Now you’re in the countryside.
You keep following the GPS signal, which leads you along alternative roads, through stretches of nature dotted with a few houses — and what houses! — and areas where you can pull over (because you’ve started to feel a bit anxious about being on a road so narrow that two cars can barely pass). So, you stop. And you breathe.
Yes, breathe.
The person telling you this real story gets a little anxious behind the wheel when it comes to narrow roads or unfamiliar places. I don’t know exactly why — probably because of the lack of control — but such roads make me uncomfortable.
At that moment, when I was able to stop — since no one was coming — I allowed myself to pause, breathe, and reflect. Everything got better. Not only did I take a moment to see and enjoy the landscape around me, but a smile spread across my face from ear to ear.
Is this pseudo-writer a bit special? Yes, indeed. In fact, that might be the best way to describe it.
Because someone who feels lost even when they’re not — and then suddenly smiles and enjoys the scenery — can seem almost comical. Yet it’s important to recognize that this feeling goes far beyond a lost GPS, a rural road that makes us uncomfortable, or any single moment in time.
Every situation that makes us uneasy, unsettled, or presents us with a crisis of any kind is an OPPORTUNITY. For example, my moment of unease could have lasted the seven more minutes the GPS said it would take to reach the main road — but it didn’t. Instead, it gave me a chance to stop at the entrance of a finca and simply look at the landscape. To roll down the window and breathe in the scent of the countryside. To think beyond the moment. Something we rarely do because of our fast-paced lives and external distractions.
I was in a wonderful place, yet I felt stuck at a crossroads that prevented me from appreciating what was right in front of me. Moments like these help us put things into perspective. Lost thoughts slowly find their place again — just like we do. For me, it was an opportunity to disconnect from the morning for a bit, to appreciate what was in front of me, to shift my perspective for a moment. A little pat on the back to help me refocus — just like the GPS does when it gets lost. Even though, really, it isn’t lost at all.
So, when you’re on holiday or visiting a village or city — whether here in the Balearic Islands or elsewhere — remember: it’s a sign to stop, observe, reflect, and enjoy. A moment of reflection. The road guides us, but it also helps us see what surrounds us — the things we often overlook, or don’t even notice.
There’s a whole world beyond what we see between two walls — whether we call them roads, life, career paths, or personal stories. Let’s pause for a moment and give ourselves that pleasure. It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity. A vital way of appreciating what we have — and also what we don’t.
So, whatever happens, remember: observe, breathe, reflect, and let yourself be surprised by life and the new path that unfolds before you. Whatever it may be. That’s how we find ourselves.
