“Taking the Non Sheeple Route”

by fourth year Aubrey Ford

When I first learned how to drive, my dad would have me go through our neighborhood. I would cry when we got in the car at the smallest unforeseen issue. I was inexplicably anxious, utterly certain of an impending (but totally impossible) wreck. The crowded roads gave me the most anxiety because it increased the chance of something terrible happening. So, my dad introduced me to the “non sheeple route.”

He said every person who followed what everyone else did was like sheep following the one in front of it, not questioning where it was going: a sheeple. To take the non sheeple route was to go against the grain, to poke your head above the herd.

I’ve used the non-sheeple route to find ways to weave in and out of main roads to take me around traffic. In the process, I’ve discovered a second layer of the city. The non-sheeple route grounds you, reminds you of the wonder in the road less traveled. I’ve found the non-sheeple route can enlighten other areas of my life as well.

It’s daunting to walk the path not chosen, but sometimes we must accept that our path is not the one that we see everyone else take. Your path may not exist! Just because something has never been done before doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Perhaps you will be the first one to walk this path. Maybe others will follow in your footsteps. Some may see how many adventures you gain and join you. Walk forward with confidence– even into the unknown– and see what begins to flourish.