“Route 49”: How We Can Find Purpose in the Unexpected by Samuel Hiers

Have you ever come to a point in your life where you just wanted to give up on everything you ever tried so hard at? Felt that all of your effort was pointless? Maybe you might have believed that no one, not even your close friends, thought you mattered? 

Have you ever come to a point in your life where you just wanted to give up on everything you ever tried so hard at? Felt that all of your effort was pointless? Maybe you might have believed that no one, not even your close friends, thought you mattered? 

I have been in that place too; I began doubting myself and questioning my worth last summer when certain things happened not according to my expectations. I began having trouble with my friend group, I did not get accepted into a job, and a jazz ensemble refused to let me join. These disappointments hit me very hard, but I would soon find out that everything we encounter in life’s journey really is purposeful, even if we do not desire those things. I am very happy to share a short anecdote with you to help you appreciate that even when things disappoint us, they cannot change our futures or who we are.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both…” – Robert Frost

On a blistering afternoon last June, I came to a crossroads while my dad and I were driving home from one of our favorite pastimes: mountain biking. I was sweating after that long trek, and I would have preferred turning onto the Interstate, the quick and direct way home (we were in Connecticut, by the way). But straight ahead laid the lengthy byways of a road named Route 49, where quaint cornfields, farms, and forests in eastern Connecticut were calling my love of travel and scenery. Dad agreed to take “the road less traveled”, so I drove ahead towards the scenic haven. Given that I had been frustrated over the past month from being completely rejected by an internship and a jazz festival, I was not excited as I should have been, even with great quality time ahead with dad during the hour-and-a-half long drive home.

Throughout the ride, my dad and I casually chatted about favorite memories and laughs, and he offered empathetic advice about my hard times, helping settle my recent frustrations. Afterward, dad articulated one of the most important messages he ever gave me: “Sometimes, obstacles come up in life that lead us to places we don’t want to be. But in the end, everything unexpected happens for a greater reason.” That was when it hit me.

I had thought so negatively about the aforementioned events that I failed to see how everything happens for a unique, valuable reason, even if it’s what you did not desire. Fast-forwarding to July, I volunteered to play piano at my local senior center instead of my disrupted plans. I remember the joyous atmosphere while plucking those keys, bringing warm smiles and a sense of community to those who needed it. Not only did my elderly friends simply say, “Great job,” but some recounted old memories and passed on meaningful lessons. A woman remembered her favorite ragtime tunes, and a Korean War veteran jammed with me on his saxophone, each encouraging me to go further with my music. In that moment, I had finally gained a sense of contentment, having realized that I did possess a purpose even in the midst of defeat: encouraging others. Here, the advice of my grandfather’s friend echoed, “The best gift there is to give is the gift of encouragement.” Connections and interactions never happen by accident, they are gifts that help us appreciate living.

As the sun set over those quiet Connecticut towns that day, I came to see choosing Route 49 over the Interstate as an illustration of how unexpected things can prove to be fulfilling. The fast highway stands for ideal intentions and human wants, and winding Route 49 represents things that are not planned. Even when expectations are not fulfilled, unforeseen events sometimes direct us to better places than we could have ever imagined. Maybe I would have hated working a job, for instance. There may have been fallout between my friends, but over the course of time we eventually started hanging out again. 

To conclude, my message to anyone reading this is not one of defeat and doubt, it is one of hope and resilience. In the end, we can all appreciate that there is a reason to be on an unintended path. Metaphorically, the “Route 49” in all of our lives is an unpredictable road, but it can also bring about excitement at every winding turn, every beautiful sunrise and sunset, and the view of green pastures. We absolutely cannot reflect negatively upon ourselves over disappointing things happening because we often end up being in certain places that will provide for our well-being, no matter how you are supposed to get there. Being content that our futures are perfectly laid out as long as we persevere and stay positive on our journeys, we can be hopeful that – in Robert Frost’s words – the “road less traveled” will soon “make all the difference.”