Life is a Highway: Lessons Learned From IH-35

I’ve driven between San Antonio and Austin about sixty times over the past few years. Of the one hundred and twenty unidirectional trips I’ve taken, one hundred and nineteen have involved IH-35. Like anyone who follows the same routes over and over, I’ve developed a feel for the ebbs and flows of traffic on my section of the iconic interstate highway.

This understanding usually sits in my subconscious as I navigate, but a slightly unusual event brought it to light—and with it, some interesting revelations.

I was in the left lane going a respectable nighttime speed, smoothly passing an eighteen-wheeler occupying the middle lane, when I suddenly noticed another car gaining on me. To the driver’s chagrin, there wasn’t enough space between my car and the truck to safely get around me. So, naturally, they whipped over to the rightmost lane, wrapped around both myself and the truck, and sped off.

I just shook my head.

He’s gonna hit traffic up there anyway, I thought.

And sure enough, I caught up to Speedy Gonzales in no less than two miles, where a cluster of cars hovered around the speed limit.

What struck me was that this driver performed such an unnecessary maneuver for such a minimal gain. Maybe they just didn’t know that traffic typically builds up in a certain part of San Marcos, but it seemed so futile. Perhaps my familiarity with the route clouded my judgment, but I couldn’t help but wonder:

Why not just go with the flow?

As this thought came to mind, I realized that it could be applied to life in general, not just IH-35. The more I thought about it, the more analogous life and the highway became.

So, in order to help myself remember the metaphors that impatient driver taught me that night, here they are in no particular order:

You can fight to get ahead, but there will always be something that gets in your way

The first (and possibly most important) lesson that the driver taught me was that there will always be obstacles. You can struggle with all your might to squeeze ahead of the pack, but you won’t stay there long. There will always be new pockets of traffic.

If you’re willing to put in the effort and deal with the stress of weaving in and out of the lanes, more power to you. But if you’re constantly trying to get ahead, you run the risk of burning out. You might even crash and burn. In the best case, you’ll meet disappointment—frequently.

That doesn’t mean you should live your life in the right lane going five under the speed limit, but it does mean you shouldn’t stress yourself out trying to get around everybody.

Sometimes you just have to let them pass

If people are dogging your heels, you’re better off if you move over and let them pass. Holding your ground isn’t worth the trouble; a few seconds in the middle lane is a lot less painful than several minutes of being tailgated.

You can get right back to where you were once they’re gone.

It’s also important to remember that you’re not responsible for their agitation. They were going full speed before they even saw you, and you just happened to be in their way. You didn’t do anything wrong—but you are wrong if you’re too stubborn to get out of the way.

Check yourself; how fast do you really want to go right now?

This point is closely related to the previous one, but it requires some introspection.

If people keep swerving around you, you might not be in the appropriate lane. If you’re not feeling like going fast, that’s fine—just be aware of where you are, and don’t be afraid to find the place where you can go at your own speed.

On the flip side, if things are going well, the music’s bumping, and your tank is full, go for it. Feel free to open the sails—but keep your eyes peeled for choppy waters.

Be adaptable

IH-35 is notorious for construction. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it without some kind of construction going on.

The thing about that is that it’s completely out of your control. You can get frustrated (I know I have), but that doesn’t change the fact that your exit is closed.

All you can do is roll with it.

Your responsibility is to get where you’re going, whether it’s convenient or not, as best as you can.

Don’t be afraid to stop altogether

Being adaptable includes knowing when to get off the road entirely.

If your tank is low, it’s foolish to keep driving. You’ll end up broken down and stranded because you didn’t want to stop even though you needed to.

That said, you can exit of your own volition as well. There’s nothing wrong with going out of the way to see something cool that caught your eye. Maybe a new attraction popped up, or maybe it’s finally time to go back to that restaurant.

Stop and smell the roses, as they say.

Make good decisions

It’s way too easy to feel the consequences of a bad decision when you’re on the highway. Driving recklessly and/or driving under the influence will probably wreck your car. It’ll probably wreck your life—and the lives of others as well.

That’s common knowledge, but it applies off the road as well.

Important decisions should be made with a clear head. If you need a few hours to get back to normal, everyone will be glad you took the time to wait.

Beware going on auto-pilot

Going on auto-pilot can be nice. It’s peaceful—almost meditative—to become one with the road and let the miles pass by.

You do have to snap back to reality, though, and the longer you’re on auto-pilot, the more disorienting it is when you refocus.

Don’t get too comfortable, lest you miss your turn.

You can live your life, maintaining your routines, but weeks, months, even years can fly by without warning. Make sure you’re driving the car—not the other way around.

Your routes will change

At first, the drive between San Antonio and Austin caused me anxiety, but over time I’ve grown to love it, traffic and all.

The road is physically different because of construction, but it’s also changed in a more abstract sense as it’s become more familiar.

It bears keeping in mind that new paths are just that: paths. There’s nothing intrinsically bad or scary about them.

It’s also worth remembering that your routes will literally change. It’s likely that I’ll only make the drive between San Antonio and Austin a few more times, and that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll miss it, but there will be new roads for me to fall in love with.

And if it ever comes to it, the old one will still be there if I need it.

Every drive ends / There’s always the next drive

As sad as it may be, every drive must come to an end. You can enjoy the sights and sounds, but each trip has a destination.

Don’t let the fun of the open road cling to you for too long—you won’t be on the road forever.

Similarly, remember that each drive that’s a slog will end, too. Traffic doesn’t last forever. They will open that road eventually.

If you’re so bogged down by the negatives, you might not notice when things clear up.

Whether you’re sad because the drive ended or happy because it’s over, remember that there’s always the next drive—and it might not be too far away.