Crooked, contorted, distorted, irregular, skewed, winding, warped.

Crooked lines seem to be indirect. Crooked lines may appear lost, misshapen, and inaccurate; these zig-zagged lines, however, give meaning to our lives.

Our passions, interests, faith, and curiosity dare us to explore. Along life's crooked lines we find new opportunities that shape who we are.

Direct lines may seem more useful but they require direct thought (tunnel vision). This tunnel vision limits an open mindset which directly affects the way in which we live our lives.

Tunnel vision requires thought out plans and expected outcomes. When we choose to live our lives according to our own expectations we may find that the world has something different in mind.

This is not to say living a life of direction is a mistake. We must have cornerstones in our lives that hold us accountable to our morals, values, and dreams. Daydreaming of the future and making goals are ways in which we choose to motivate our learning and thinking. These things are healthy yet do not make up the whole package. Our direct thoughts and goals in life act as the address upon that package. There are places we want to go, things we dream of experiencing, people we wish to encounter, and goals we hope to accomplish. This movement, however, does not have to be linear, straight, and direct. The other part of the package is what is inside. Without curves, zig-zags, twists, and turns we gain nothing along the way. We are sent in the mail to the place we hope to be but with little to offer.

Yes, you got there; yes you did it; but what do you have to offer?

Trees have the goal of becoming tall and growing upwards. Isn't a tree, however, more beautiful when it entangles itself with other trees, curves around certain objects, and grows horizontally as well as vertically?

Notice the beauty of crooked lines, the beauty of being different, the beauty of interaction, and the beauty of growing in multiple ways.

Notice the difference between living your life in crooked versus straight lines.

Don't merely set goals. Choose to live a life entangled in joy, experience, love, open-mindedness, and even sorrow and hardship. The wear and tear, curves and edges, disappointments and accomplishments will all make your life more beautiful. Embrace nature, engage with others, be a part of some one else's life. Be a part of a root system, get lost in the forest, spread your branches to unknown places.

Be different. Be the best version of yourself. Don't be uptight in the way you live your life. It is not solely about where you are going.

Are you going to be an empty box getting shipped to a certain location? Or are you going to be a package filled with love, experience, wisdom, stories, and tools to change the world?

It is your choice.

Straight lines can get you there but crooked lines can change your life.