The Forgotten Art of Navigation
The global positioning system (GPS) has spoiled us. How many people today could navigate effectively using a map? I can and have navigated on many occasions using a map. This process taught me how to understand directions and the engineering of highways and roads. Roads are built in a system, and that system can help you find your way when lost. GPS is a great form of technology; however, it creates a dependency on it to navigate around your town, city, and state. What happens when you don’t have GPS and need to go somewhere?
I recall one Sunday afternoon, cruising on my motorcycle to the beach. My usual route was detoured due to a closed bridge. What was supposed to be a 45-minute ride turned into a three-hour odyssey, leaving me 30 miles off course. I had GPS, but deep in the country, I had no signal. I was left to rely on my prior knowledge, which was limited because the detour took me far from familiar territory.
It had been years since I traveled without some form of navigation system. Even with my prior experience, this situation was entirely different. I found myself on back roads, not seeing a house for miles, with roads devoid of signs and some leading directly into dead ends. When I realized I was lost, I backtracked to the point where I had taken the wrong turn. I was grateful for my navigation experience before GPS. Where I was, there was no gas station or place to get help. It was scary because I thought I might run out of gas.
Technology is a wonderful tool. However, it is imperative that people learn how to travel without it. Being dependent on something always leaves you vulnerable to extreme struggles without it. Who knows how long it would have taken me to reach my destination if I had never traveled without GPS? GPS systems don’t always know when a road or street has a detour.
Relying solely on GPS is like only listening to audiobooks because you can’t read. It’s an easy way out of life’s challenges and expectations. Learn to navigate the old-fashioned way. You never know when you might need it
Thanks for reading
Wakime Hauser