Under Construction

Nearly every street and highway I travel regularly is under construction. I had no idea so many concrete barriers and orange traffic cones even existed but they've suddenly sprouted everywhere. Not only is the preparation for a much-needed new bridge over the Mississippi River underway, the same highway is tricky to negotiate closer to my house - with one narrow lane in each direction and lots of delays. The major side streets between my home and church - just two miles away - are also under construction. Fooled by a street that is sometimes open and sometimes closed, I've accidentally taken the long way home, driving miles out of my way. Over near the kids' school in St. Paul along University Avenue, work has begun on the central corridor light rail project. ARGGH!

It can be frustrating to get around - some of these major projects will take years to complete! No more quick errands. No more dashing out the door at the last minute expecting to make it to school or work with time to spare. No quick trip home to retrieve my forgotten cell phone. We've been forced to take alternate routes, make last minute adjustments, allow extra time, call ahead to apologize for delays, even ask for directions when lost in unfamiliar territory. 

There have also been some real advantages to moving away from the well-worn familiar pathways of my routine. I've discovered new things about our community, stopped to visit church folks working in their yards, noted new businesses and shuttered windows, found areas of new growth or surprising decay I didn't realize were right there outside my narrow vision. 

This major bridge is being replaced.

As individuals and a faith community, we are always under construction. Being pushed from old routines into new patterns brings opportunities for growth and learning. As we mercifully move into summer after a long winter and dismal spring, I hope to discover some new things -- not just about how to get from home to work and back without delays, but about myself and the people around me. Summer has its own pace - maybe it is the season to make a new friend, find an inner athlete, discover a new bike trail, hang out at a new coffee shop, visit every Farmer's Market, build a muscle, go camping, give the kids some undivided attention, plant a new vegetable and actually eat it.

I'm under construction - what about you?