Lessons of the 1% -Written By Bambi Lynn

This past week I had the opportunity to go on one of the worst three dangerous roads in America, The Dalton Highway in Alaska. My grandson and I went on an adventure to experience The Arctic Circle. I never experienced such a rough ride in all my life. I felt like my head rattled the whole time and I hung on for dear life to the inside of the van we were in. The potholes were huge, and you felt like you were being swallowed up by the road. They were dirt roads and muddy roads, along with gravel roads and very few paved roads. We had to move over for the truckers and be left in the dust storm after they flew by, like the road wasn't dangerous and just another day on the job for them. The bridges were made of wood they had big indentions and only get changed out every ten years. You ask under your breath," are they safe?" The roads curved around bends and the hills were like riding a rollercoaster. Anyone that knows me, knows I would rather go through morning sickness than to ever ride a rollercoaster and here I was on the one of the most dangerous roads in America having my grandson say to the van load of people, "put your hands in the air, we are in for a ride" he is laughing as I am praying that my food that I just had eaten wouldn't surface with no bag to vomit in. Some of the road is actually called Rollercoaster Valley. I have experienced how it got its name! I prayed, please give me straight roads. I can't deal with potholes and my head bumping up and down and rollercoaster all at the same time. The prayer wasn't answered, so I just needed to endure. Must have been a lesson to learn from this instead of just the rattling of my body to stop on the Dalton Highway. There have been deaths on this highway, so I hear in my head, "did you die?' Well, no so I must have learned something.

Life is full of lesson everywhere you turn. The lessons are endless and sometimes you don't even have to find them. but they smack you in the face moments after you experience them. That was the Dalton Highway for me. Life is full of moments like this experience I had, hanging on for dear life. I know what lessons are, I have had many and will have many more. Life is full of paved roads but, mostly full of potholes and mud with slipping and sliding as you are trying hard just to get past those moments. We drove past a homestead that had been empty for years, makes you wonder what was the moment that tells you they had had enough and that they were willing to walk away from everything they believed in?  We saw trees that were bent over from ice storms that instead of cracking them in half, they now live bent over but still growing. We may live with some bruises with our lessons but, we are still standing even if it is bent over a little as a reminder, we survived. We saw some equipment in the cliffs that fell and need to help to be pulled out, as another reminder sometimes we need help to move forward with the lessons that we have learned. Never be ashamed to ask for help, the road less traveled will need some pushing forward and some encouragement to ride the road. Slip and slide if you have to but never give up and give yourself permission to ask for the help. You are not a coward but courageous because you choose to keep going. I needed to be like my grandson when he asked everyone to put their hands up in the sky and experience the ride. Life lessons won't last forever, we need to learn to endure the ride and in a moment it will be over. It may cause sickness but, like morning sickness, this too shall end and transition in the ride leads to babies or birth of new dreams and new ideas.

Homesteaders have it right in some ways, they pioneer the road less traveled and learn to give the earth what it tries to take from you. They love the unknown and the idea that they can do this, or they will die trying. Those are some in depth lessons of life along that road. I didn't see many homes on the Dalton Highway because it isn't for the faint at heart. My grandson and myself became part of the 1% who were willing to endure this highway and not allow it to endure us. We were part of the pioneer group that we could help pave the way for those who are afraid to go after the road less traveled. I am used to plowing the way through the rough terrain of life, so this was no different. You become the first to experience and then the encourager for the others who will have to take the road and build from their lessons as they use your kit that you have put together because you knew others would follow after you.  lessons of life are for everyone; some just learn them first.

I didn't enjoy most of this road, in fact I despised this road. It tried to tackle my spirit down. This road tried to take my joy away. I could have succumbed to it, but it wasn't going to get me off the road. My attitude wasn't going to miraculously get me to the end. I wasn't going to rub my red slippers together and have this road be as smooth as a baby's butt. So, I made a choice to enjoy the process, even if my brain was rattling. I chose to take in the moments that took my breath away. I chose to take the moments of peace and soak them in; I chose to endure because those peaceful moments were going to get me through the rough ones. I chose to stand in awe of the moments that only 1% get to experience. The road less traveled also leads to things that only a few get to experience. I was part of that few and that got me through. The road of lessons brings you to reality that these lessons were made for you because you are part of the 1% that choose to homestead the experiences of life, some are afraid, and others are afraid not to, and some live afraid because not to brings a standstill, and life is worth living through the lessons.

Lessons are meant to rediscover answers a different way, Lessons are for learning, they help us to rethink and to look at life through different angles. they are not meant to destroy you but, to discover you. they help to blossom you and to move you to the next level of becoming the best version of yourself. Look around you, lessons are everywhere, they are in the next horizon and probably on the next road that will feel like a rollercoaster. They are meant to help you never to forget, where you were and where you are going. Embrace the ride, even when it rattles your brain and gives you a bumpy ride. Lessons are never meant to be easy but, memorable like something written on your heart. Part of a vision that has been stamped and engraved in your memory never to forget. I will always remember the Dalton Highway and be reminded I was part of the 1%

Fun fact- It is against rental car policy to bring a rental car on the Dalton Highway- so you must learn your lessons of life in your own car