Life's Intersections

By the time I finish my MBA, I will have spent six years of my life "living" and working at the same intersection. Now, I know that's not a long time compared to how long some folks spend at an employer, but that will be about 22% of my life.

You probably have tacit knowledge about something. Perhaps it's how to play the piano, knowing just how much of a spice to add to a dish, or how to tell great jokes (if you have this skill, I'm jealous). Well, I have the same knowledge about this intersection. That bridge just to the east connecting Humanities and Vilas? I couldn't tell you what it's called (if it even has a name), but I can tell you how many times a week I crossed it during my sophomore year of college and could probably estimate how many cars pass under it each day. The dorm to the northwest? I can walk you around inside and tell you where people lived five years ago. And Grainger? Well, how well do you know your own home?

I guess life has many intersections, although most of them aren't physical. Most of them are decisions and not are all as neatly controlled as University and Park. Which school should I go to? Where should I live when I get there? But some are downright messy. Should I follow someone to a different city for the sake of preserving the relationship? Should I take the job with higher pay or a nicer work environment? Choosing which direction to turn can depend on which lane you're in to start with, how long you're willing to wait at a red light before caving and turning right, or even how fast you can accelerate through life's yellow lights.

In the end, most decisions are reversible, so don't spend too much time double-checking that the street signs match your GPS. Go for it. Just make sure you turn the right way onto one-way streets.