If you’re travelling along a road it seems that, no matter how well the bitumen is laid there will be a bump or two, (If you’re travelling along a North Queensland road there are a lot of bumps.)But what if the road was a constant run of smooth surface? What if there wasn’t a single bump to be felt? What if you never met a single other vehicle travelling along that road and you went from destination to destination without contact with anyone? Sure- the ride would be smooth. But how boring would it be? Most of us would fall asleep from the inactivity and dullness.

I’ve been thinking lately about how much life is like a bumpy road. We all complain about the ride, but what if we were faced with the alternative? We wouldn’t have relationships, wouldn’t be challenged; wouldn’t build perseverance or character – we would all literally fall asleep from boredom.

As the song says – ‘life is a highway’ and there will always be ‘bumps’ along the way, and sometimes it seems as though those bumps are unpassable chasms – but they aren’t. Because while you’re still on the ride – you’re learning, you’re loving, you’re building character, and something even greater – you’re living.

So, if you’re having trouble negotiating a difficult patch of road today don’t try to go around it – embrace it, and just remember – with each patch of hardship you are slowly trading up from a tin can hatchback to an off –road cruiser. Take heart in a journey that is only enhanced with every ‘bumpy’ experience.