Oh, the Places I Will Go

Think about great literary works of art, and what comes to mind?  Maybe "Catcher in the Rye" "To Kill a Mocking Bird"  or even “Are you there God?  It’s Me, Margaret.” Whatever it was I bet it didn't include the Dr. Suess book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!".


This is by far one of my favorite books.  It is typically given to high school or college grads as they set forth on the great journey of life...and that's great, but it also sums up life- regardless of your age- in all of its 26 pages. 

“Out there things can happen

And frequently do

To people as brainy

And footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

Don’t worry. Don’t stew.

Just go right along.

You’ll start happening too.

“You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.”

Seemingly straight forward on the outside, and childish at its heart, this book delivers a meaningful introspective and philosophical conversation when you sit down and look behind the cute, colorful cover.  Basically, its much deeper than what you think it is capable of being. But all of this is not the reason why I love it.  Truly, this book walks you through all of the ebbs and flows of life, and reminds you that this is a journey, and you are going to experience a lot along the way. 

“I’m sorry to say so

But, sadly, it’s true

That Bang-ps

And Hang-ups

Can happen to you.

And when you’re in a Slump

You’re not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

Is not easily done.

You will come to a place

Where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted

But mostly they’re darked.

A place you could sprain

both your elbow and chin

Do you dare to stay out?

Do you dare to go in?”

Throughout the book it describes all of the “places” that you will go, but there is one part that never really resonated with me- and that was “The Waiting Place...”

You can get so confused

That you’ll start in to race

Down long wiggled roads

At a break n-ecking pace

And grind on for miles

Across weirdish wild space

Headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place.

Me? Wait? Yeah, I don't think so.  Not only do I have the patience of a gnat, I am not one to let things pass me by- I tend to search and conquer whatever it is I want to accomplish.

Until now.  Now I get it.

I now realize that I have been in the waiting place for quite a while... For a long time I didn't even realize it, and when I finally did, I searched multiple roads thinking that was the way out. But none of these roads were the one that I needed to be on.  The realization that I was in the waiting place made me depressed- that is not who I am.  How do I get to the place that I belong?

Now I have found the right path, and am beginning to see that light at the end of the proverbial tunnel..

Moving, while exhausting, has completely energized me.  I am sure that part of it is knowing I have so much to do, or the “newness” of it all, or waking up with the warm bright sun to greet me every day; but I can feel the shift, the change, in me.  Yes, this is hard for many, many reasons, but I find that I have a smile on my face-  a lot.  I laugh- easily- and it feels good. I am looking forward to what tomorrow has to bring, and instead of just swirling around in the sea of uncertainty, I am on the right path… and step by step I am working my way out of the waiting place… I will escape all of the waiting and staying and get back to the bright place where the Boom Bands are playing… and will I succeed?

98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.