Today, this 16th day of January, for some reason my mind has been pulled to one of Dr. Seuss’ poems. My favourite one. What a brilliant man he was. And why today this poem has throttled its way into my mental sphere I’m not sure. I always trust the guidance of these special occurrences and I don’t let them go unnoticed. I think our subconscious is always working for us in useful ways, (appreciating that it also works the opposite too) and I believe that the places we go, the people we meet and the choices we make in these places, with these people, aren’t without a lot of subconscious influence. Sometimes these pulls are so unexplainable that it’s mental mayhem, an internal GPS system that’s gone off the rails, like, you went left and were supposed to go right, and course correction now is a bit of a headache. Just reset the GPS it knows where I’m supposed to go right? But oh wait, can we do that? I’d LOVE to reset my internal GPS system so I’m controlling it and it’s not controlling me. We are always in control of what we do, say, think and how we act in all situations consciously, it’s that darn GPS lurking in the background that can make things appear and feel outside of our control. 

I think in a way, it is quite beautiful to trust the subconscious pulls and pushes because whatever happens as a result of them is what will inadvertently trigger a change in the GPS anyway. Every experience, moment, place and the resulting emotions attached to those, imprint a different map to our GPS to guide us better in the future. So, I think it’s important to take wrong turns, recognize that no matter what you’re thinking and feeling on each road, there’s merit and purpose behind it all. 

Some days I wish I could return my GPS System for a whole new one, and see what that would be like…step into a different vehicle all together, but until that’s possible I’ll settle with the map and wheels I have, be grateful that it’s such a good one, and trust that maybe there is no final destination and that life is just one big navigation network after another and what makes it wonderful is the perspective, understanding and clarity that results from the system going completely amok! 

“Warning. Alert. No Through Road. You took the wrong exit, get back on the highway RIGHT NOW! Or don’t…see where this goes. Or not. Why don’t you just stop at the side of the road here, have a snack, open the window, watch the birds and the clouds, those cows in the field just over there and pause, you need a break from driving. Just sit here in the sun, in the silence. There’s no rush. There’s too many signs and pit stops along that highway anyway, try the next one.” That’s my kind of GPS. 

So for anyone who needs to read these words of Dr. Seuss today, here they are! Maybe they’ll do for you what they are doing for me, and what that is exactly I don’t really know, all I know is I’m supposed to read them, right here, right now. So I’m going to keep reading until something deeper sinks in, clicks, clacks or hits. I can’t be the only person who needs to read this today so, I saved your subconscious that task of finding it and bringing it to your awareness. 

From my GPS to yours, happy motoring! 

Oh The Places You’ll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself 
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, 
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

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?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t
Because, sometimes they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up 
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s 
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!