https://youtu.be/4TBCbIC5ILY
I had to drive north today to drop my daughter off at the family reunion a few days before I can join everyone. As long car trips go there were a lot of stops for gas and bathroom breaks.
During a particular long stretch there was a pretty long time before we could get to another bathroom. Both of us had to pee but it was one of those “I can hold it until the next exits” kind of urges.
Finally we reached the exit where a familiar gas station was.
You ever notice how when you get closer to a bathroom when you have to pee that the urge get’s stronger?
Well this is exactly what happened when we pulled up to the gas station only to figure out that it had been closed.
The problem is that once the sentinels who are guarding the gates of your blatter realize you are close to a toilet they leave on their lunch break allowing nothing but sheer will to keep the waters back.
We quickly jumped back to the overpass and gratefully found a gas station on the other side that was open.
Only after speed walking to the bathrooms as if trying to walk with crossed legs were we finally able to get relief.
Gratefully there wasn’t a line.
So I had some thoughts on this during my drive back home.
First if we had driven for the same amount of time but not expected a bathroom until the same moment we found one, most likely we wouldn’t have almost peed our pants.
This phenomenon is caused by our neural pathways.
Every time we have a thought of any significance a neural pathway is formed. They are like little lines going down the side of our brains. I prefer to think of them as deer trails (Thanks Craig Berthel for the insight).
Deer trails are heavily trafficked trails down the sides of mountains left by deer. The more deer that go down the trail, the more permanent the trail becomes.
It’s the same with neural pathways.
As an example when a baby starts to understand it’s parents neuropathways are formed and throughout their life they are made more permanent.
I was called Joseph as a baby all the way through my childhood and adult years. Am I actually Joseph? I don’t know. I mean the answer is automatically yes but really it’s just that every time my name was asked the answer was Joseph.
Same as if I ask you what 1 plus 1 is. 2 right? Well you only say that because you’ve been told since 1st grade its 2.
OK back to peeing. Neuro pathways are formed from events as well. If you know there is a bathroom in your house and you have to go bad usually you can make it just to the moment of getting to the toilet.
You ever have someone jump in front of you to a toilet when you have to go that bad? Yeah, there’s a special place in hell for those people.
Truth is our physical bodies even react when we know what is about to happen.
What are some other areas that maybe aren’t so funny?
Maybe a beautiful young woman who thinks she’s ugly because of constant rejection from boys in high school?
Or how about a middle aged man who thinks he’s worthless because of getting fired from his last 3 jobs?
Every time an event happens that confirms the initial deer trail it’s like sending more and more deer down the trail.
The only way we can create a better outlook for ourselves is to be mindful of what deer trails we have and stop sending deer down the unhealthy ones.
Do you feel overweight?
Stop telling yourself you’re overweight and every time you eat better tell yourself you are healthy and take care of your body.
You get the idea.
I’ve struggled just like everyone else with thoughts of discouragement and worthlessness in some areas of my life.
I’ve been able to change my outlook on myself in a lot of areas just by herding the deer where they ought to be going.
Take care of yourself.
Joseph
