ON TRACK

Last week’s post  was “Getting Back on Track.”  There were a number of interesting responses from this speaks to me because I’m experiencing something similar to well-wishers sending good thoughts and hope for my recovering.  Now, being on the other side, I am sending this as a response and follow on that makes sense to me, and I hope, to a few of you as well.

First, I thought about what it means to be “on track” and using the railroad metaphor I find there are more lessons to be learned. As one who worked on the railroad, I realize now that I carried many of those experiences forward from that side of my life to this one, thus “Both Sides Now.”  Being a laborer on a railroad gave me a close look at the details of what goes into laying down a track that fulfills the intentions of its design. That it is safe, efficient and reliable are among the benefits that accrue to the users.

We do not see the details when we’re riding a train. That is another example of the unseen being more important than what is seen.  Symptoms of malfunction not treated early can expand until they become bigger problems. Without the track being in optimum condition, the chances for a derailment, or at the least an uncomfortable ride, are increased significantly.  Take from that what you can and apply it to how we function.

When the tracks on the railroad were under repair, trains received a “slow order” which meant they had to slow down significantly to pass over the tracks safely.  If they didn’t they were courting disaster and the engineers and others followed the rules.  Safety was a big concern at every level and every day before we left the shed to go out and work on the tracks, we were to memorize the rule of the day.

We were not only expected to know it but to use it.  There were occasional “inspectors” who came around and besides checking the work, they were likely to ask what the “rule of the day” was from the little brown book each of us carried.  I was a member of the International Brotherhood of Railway Teamsters, never once went to a union meeting, but I knew who the representative was in case I had a work-related issue.

Another lesson I learned, although I think I first knew what it meant from working on a farm, is that “many hands make light work.”  It was working with a team of people to get the job done, and in both cases, on the farm and on the railroad, it took many hands to get the work done.  On the farm it was evident at harvest time whether hay or grain and caring for animals, too much for one person.

On the railroad, in the days when most of the labor was manual and not mechanized and computerized, we moved rails and ties by hand, unloaded them from rail cars carrying them. Many hands on both ends to carry and put into their proper alignment.  Much of that is now done by highly calibrated machinery and there are still derailments.  There are about 1,000 per year or on average, 3 per day in the U.S.

It is easy to feel good when we’re going along on track, making progress moving forward, and feeling comfortable in our daily lives and routines.  That’s like the trains running on time, predictable.

Life, and the trains, are not always on the schedules we might prefer.  So, we adjust, adapt and make the changes as necessary so we can stay on track.  “Now arriving, on Track Number Four, the Sunshine Express.”   Whether early, on time, or late, it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that we arrive where we want to be, here and now. On track, making tracks, and tracking.  We know where we have been, we have a good idea of where we are and now, we’re looking down the track ahead.  All lined up and ready.

 Here is your “rule” for the day. 

“We don’t have to pretend to be fine when we are not. We don’t need to push through and be strong. Gratitude is a soft landing place that requires us to be honest, open, and willing to look at everything we’re facing and not turn away.”   Alex Elle