Throw Away the F&%*#ing Map

"To be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present is to be capable of being in uncertainty."
Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

I used to have a thing about getting lost. Hated it. Braced against it with piles and piles of maps.  Until I went to Morocco. Besides being my first time on the African continent the other reason I went was for the souks--amazing little shops filled with local wares. The souks were located in the old walled-in city of Marrakech known as the Medina. Twisting streets lined with exotic goods, the souks are one place where a map is absolutely useless. If you are going to explore the delicious mayhem of the souks you must:

1. Abandon the map

2. Being willing get lost

You'll also need to have lots of dirhams (the local currency) to give to small children who demand money to give you directions. In those twisty, narrow streets, I learned to love the feeling of not knowing quite where I was going but knowing that I'd land just where I needed to be. Even if it wasn't where I intended. Once I consented to being "lost" I learned how to explore and feel more comfortable with uncertainty. And sometimes you're closer than you think.

Being Lost is a State of Mind

My dog likes to run away. It's not that she's a bad dog. She's just curious and gets bored easily so if an escape route is presented to her--she's gonna take it. I've received so many calls from people telling me they had a "little black dog" that it's become her nickname. Of course the little black dog doesn't know she's lost. She's just exploring.

Maybe you're not lost. Maybe you're just exploring.