Pathfinders...

She had been the perfect child growing up. 

Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but she had been really well behaved.

She had done everything she was told to. She had become what she was expected to become. She followed the path that was set before her. 

But then...

One day she noticed that though there was a path she had been set on, there was another path as well. And once she saw that other path she saw a lot of paths. When she asked about those paths they told her that the people on those paths weren't happy and really wanted to be on her path as well. 

But then...

She walked parallel to a path for awhile and talked to those walking near her. They didn't seem unhappy with their paths. In fact they seemed to be the same as she was. 

They are wrong. Don't worry about it. That's what they told her. You are on the right path, we would tell you if you weren't. 

But then...

There was a felled tree in the middle of her path. She asked what she should do. Climb over it? Go around it? Turn it into firewood? What do you do with a tree in your path?

There is no tree. That's what they told her. 

But there is. I can see it. I can stand on it. I can touch it. She told them.

No. There is only a path. There is no tree. Just keep going. 

So she climbed over the tree that wasn't there and kept going. But she didn't forget the tree. Or those that told her there was no tree. 

Eventually her path brought her close to another path again. Did you see that tree? Wasn't that amazing? The other hikers asked her. 

You saw the tree?

Of course we saw the tree! It was huge! It crossed all of the trails through here. We had to climb over it to keep going. We had a picnic in the branches and talked about what good food it will make for the forest floor. 

She kept walking on her path. But now she spent more time looking at the other paths. Paying attention to where they went. Talking to the people hiking those trails. And they were different. And they were the same. And they were happy. And they were sad. And sometimes they switched paths. Or wandered off the trail to forge a new path. 

Aren't you scared you'll make a wrong step?

Sometimes. But I'm more scared that I'll never see anything new if I don't try. 

She stayed on her path. But she noticed more things in her way. And each time she asked about them she was told they weren't really there. That there was only a path and the rest wasn't real.

But it was real. 

Then came the day she saw that the path she was on wasn't going in the direction she wanted to go. Stay on the path, they told her.

And she listened to them.

And then she told them no.

And she found her own path. 

And it was scary.

And it was lonely.

And they told her she made a terrible mistake.

But it was real.

And it was true. 

And it was the path she chose.

Which made it beautiful.