“Thousands of candles can be lit from one single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened…” – Buddha

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 NIV

“I call it magic, the crossing of our paths with the paths of others, how quickly, how completely, these magic meetings can turn us in directions we never dreamed of.” – Dee Brown

“Too often we underestimate the power of touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

“No one is sent by accident to anyone.” – A Course in Miracles

I’ve lived in a few major metropolitan areas during the course of my life, and one thing they all have in common is traffic and congestion.  When the main arteries going into and out of the city are backed up, there are always alternative routes and detours available – eventually getting you to the destination you desire. 

The intersections are numerous, too many to count!  Sometimes taking a turn off the main road leads you to places you never knew existed.  One thing about intersections, they give you a choice and option.  No matter which way you choose; you will soon encounter yet another crossroad, with more choices and new directions to pursue.

When you think about it, our lives are analogous to these roads and pathways – each of us heading a direction that is connected to our journey here.  The crossroads and intersections we encounter are the people we meet along the way.  Some of the intersections are major ones – our significant relationships like spouses, children, and family.  We intersect with their pathway at a point along our journey and our pathways run together for a lifetime.

Other crossroads are less significant, but meaningful none the less.  We connect with co-workers – a path we travel together for a good portion of our day.  Meaningful friendships and individuals who had substantial impact on our journey are examples of intersections that took us new places we had never been before – expanding our horizons and enriching our journey.

Then, there are the small sideroads, narrow alleys, and numerous driveways we run across.  We seldom turn and head their direction, but we cross them more frequently along our journey then we do the major intersections and crossroads.  These are all the brief encounters each day with the grocery clerk, the barista at the coffee shop, or the stranger we pass in the store aisle.  The pathway crossing is quick but can hold more meaning than we realize.

When you think about it, the interconnected web of these pathway intersections is astounding! 

Take a few moments to contemplate your own journey – the major intersections of your life, the meaningful crossroads, and the infinite number of tiny sideroads you passed. 

Who have you chosen to run a parallel course with along your journey?  What crossroads did you encounter that changed your direction – that altered your course in a beautiful way?  Have you been paying attention to all the sideroads and alleyways you stumble upon?

When it comes to crossing paths along your journey, here are some things to ponder:

No Intersection is Without Meaning

I love how Helen Schucman in “A Course in Miracles” reminds us that no pathway crossing is by accident.  Each has a meaning and type of significance along our journey.  It is easy to think about the destined nature of pathway intersections like marriages, children, and siblings, but mind blowing to contemplate the vast, interconnected web of crossroads throughout our journey that play a role in who we are, how we see things, and the quality of our lives overall.

Think about the teacher, the supervisor, the friendships, and the neighbors.  Think about the people who have impacted your direction, changed how you saw things, and helped you carry your burdens along the way.  None of these crossed paths were happenstance.  They were meant to be a vital part of your journey – a predestined intersection that was planned before time began.

When you think deeply about it, it becomes awe-inspiring!  Each of these intersections, either good or bad, have precise intention, definitive meaning, and grand purpose in your journey here.

Learn to see them in this light.  As you do, each one will become more precious to you.  You will cherish them deeper – knowing they will hold greater weight as time passes – as our journey takes us to the next world and beyond.

I love this quote from Patti Smith – “Paths that cross will cross again.”  😊

Realize the Importance of the Pathways You Choose to Travel

As I mentioned earlier, intersections reflect choices.  We can choose to turn and head a new direction, run parallel with a pathway, or choose to head in the opposite direction all together.  These choices are integral to who we become and where we are heading.  God is at the center of these predestined intersections, yet He allows our free will and agency to take the wheel.  Isn’t that why we are here in the first place – to learn and grow along the way?  He already knows the course we will take – going ahead of us and “making the crooked places straight.” (Isaiah 45:2) 

When I think about the major intersections in my own life and the choices I made, many sent me off in the wrong direction.  There are some significant paths I crossed that I am so saddened I didn’t choose to head.  I know they would have enriched my life and changed me for the better.

Often, we come across an intersection and head the easiest direction – one that seems comfortable and poses the least number of obstacles.  Sometimes the pathways less traveled are the hardest to find and traverse but take us to some of the most beautiful places. 😊

 When crossing paths, be vigilant and aware! See the importance in which direction you choose to head, who you end up traveling with, and the impact they can have on the quality of your life and the fulfillment of your destiny here.

Honor the Crossroads – Yielding to the Pathway of Others

Sometimes we can become road hogs, thinking the highway is ours alone instead of honoring the pathway of others. Everyone is traveling their own journey, one we must honor – yielding to their right of way.

Several years ago, I had some personal experience with this.  I wanted so desperately to travel down a road I had no business traveling down.  That crossroad, had I taken it, would have severely impacted the journey of many others in such a negative way – altering their course and their destiny.

Here is where we lean on our God – knowing He is ultimately in control of the intersections we encounter, that no one is sent to us by accident, that any paths we cross, we will cross again in His way, His timing, and for the benefit and good of everyone involved. 😊  

Ask yourself today – Am I forcing my own right of way instead of yielding?  Am I aware of how intersections can not only alter my own course, but the course of others?

Leave No Trace – Leaving the Pathway Beautiful for All

I’m a hiker, and hikers know the term “Leave No Trace”.  It refers to traveling in such a manner that you do no harm to your surroundings – leaving the pathway beautiful for everyone.

Think about all those small sideroads you cross with others – the clerks, the people you pass on the sidewalk, or the brief encounters with co-workers or casual acquaintances.  Like Leo Buscaglia mentions above, never discount the impact a smile, a listening ear, or a kind word can have.  You can make such a tremendous difference in this world through the numerous brief intersections you have like this.  Remember…you cross so many more of these intersections in your life than you do the major ones!

Be the kind of person who leaves no trace – who does no harm.  Look someone in the eye versus ignoring them.  Share a smile with everyone.  Listen when people engage you.  Compliment a stranger.  These small interactions can have greater meaning to a life than you realize!

I pray that you think deeper about the paths you are crossing, the choices you have in what direction you head, and the comfort in knowing that God is at the center of each one you face – arranging each and every crossroad you encounter.

All have meaning.  None are by accident.  The paths you have crossed, you will cross again 😊

Remember, it’s not all about you.  Yield to the pathway of others along your journey – doing what is right and good by them and the people they are traveling with.

Most of all, be acutely aware of the tiniest of intersections and how your response weighs heavily on the destiny of others.  One smile, one compliment, taking one moment to listen can change a life in the most profound way!

If our paths have crossed my friend, they will cross again. 😊  When they do, I hope I will have enriched your journey as you have mine!

Thank God for this interconnected web of relationships He has blessed us with in this life and the deeper meaning behind them!

God bless 😊