Getting lost in the labyrinth

Humor, prompts

Directionally challenged is the word that describes me when I’m in a new place.

I have no concept of north, south, east, or west at all, so talk to me about right and left, forward or backward; give me solid directions, not vague pointers.

Another thing that prevents me from getting lost in the labyrinth of paths and alleys are the landmarks; “That tall building on the corner is where you have to turn left, or that gas station on the right is where you will find the store you’re looking for”

Conversely, I’m pretty bad at giving directions myself, and most people just request me not to try to explain where they are supposed to go, for my directions consist of telling people to go ‘this way or that way without telling right or left. My problem is that I don’t remember which one is left and which is right!

The best tool that I rely on while going to someplace new is Google maps but the oral directions aren’t sufficient by themself, and I have to keep on looking at that red dot that I’m supposed to be aiming for.

How good are you at finding directions or are you like me getting lost when in a new place?

➰➰➰

In response to Six Sentences Story- Labyrinth, hosted by Girlie on the Edge’s blog- Denise

#Keepitalive

#SSS

Published by Sadje

I am writing to express my opinion, share my experiences and to maybe provide some insight. My blog is addressing women at 50 ( but men are welcome to read my posts) ,their issues and the questions that come up at this stage in life. I don’t aim to teach, but to learn together.

Published

74 thoughts on “Getting lost in the labyrinth”

  1. I have to say that I have a map in my brain. I have such a good sense of direction and can usually find my way…but only if I visualize what is going on. When I first moved one of the problems was that I didn’t have a knowledge of the layout. Once I have that I am good.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  2. Oh, I can totally relate!!
    Actually people like my “directions” It is usually a source of utter hilarity. For example; “turn down there a ways at the blue building over there yonder and travel several kilometers until the speed bump in the road…” LOL

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I am literally laughing reading this…because this is exactly me ..lol…my sense of direction is very bad…and i too dont know the concept of north, south, east, west..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. As good as I am bad, I must concede. 50/50, though I do make sure I ask for every detail coz i hate doubling back. Sometimes even that doesn’t help.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I’m somewhat like that at least until I’m more familiar with the route I need to take to places in a new town. But, I’ve gone to so many yard sales here that I can find an address really quickly. haha 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. I’m grateful for having a good sense of direction. It’s more a matter of being able to visualize the map ‘from above’ and then applying the direction to get close than further.
    That said, I also love to use google street view so I will recognize landmarks as I approach my destination.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks Clark for sharing! Once I’ve been to a new place, it gets easier to find it again but give me landmarks any day as opposed to east and west.

      Like

      Reply
  13. Pingback: Getting lost in the labyrinth — Keep it alive | Ups Downs Family History

  16. Perhaps you have some Irish in you, befitting this tale. An American tourist is lost in the Irish countryside and asks a local farmer for directions back to Dublin. After several false starts that peter out, he says to the tourist. ‘All I can tell you is, if I was going to Dublin, I wouldn’t start from here.’

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. I’ve had a lot of jobs in my past where learning how to find my way somewhere quickly was needed and necessary, so I’m pretty good with directionality. However, I always have to map it out; and, using my phone is always helpful.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. Sadje,
    My son is a human GPS. He always has been since he was a little boy! Whenever I go somewhere I’ve never been before, I want him riding shotgun with me! My daughter is the opposite. She didn’t even know what the main street right behind our house was up until she was in her late teens. She would be lost without her car’s navigation system. Thank goodness this technology is available and she’s able to use it! She may not know where she is or where she’s going, but with technology, she can certainly get there…and most importantly…back! Great post! Mona

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. I have a pretty good sense of direction and I love maps. Google and GPS are great but I still think it’s important to have the map in mind as they sometimes get bad ideas about the way to go. I worry that younger people will not develop their sense of direction and common sense as they rely totally on these conveniences.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I agree with you about young people. All three of my kids use google maps to get where they want and sometimes the way is easy enough for them to follow their memory

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  23. My husband is in the same directionally challenged boat. I asked him once, how he would figure out how to get somewhere. He told me quite confidently, I don’t need to know how to get there. I have you. Total forehead slap moment. I wanted to laugh but he was dead serious.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  24. I’m in the ‘Directionally Challenged’ camp. Though I know that moss grows on the north side of trees. And I wear my watch on my left hand (though I’m not left handed – that’s where I choose to wear it – when I was a teacher I had to learn how to cut with my left hand to teach left handed students. And sometimes I also try and write with my left hand and not mirror image). There is a way to help children remember their left from their right – hold your up in front of you (palms away from your face). Put your thumbs out so they are level with the ground. The left hand makes an “L” 🙂

    I try to rely on directions from the sun… rises in the east and sets in the west, but that doesn’t always help me either.
    I have a walking stick that I sometimes take on walks that has a compass built in the top. But you have to know where you start to figure out where you’ve been and where you want to go. 💖

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. If you can find west… you might be able to find the other directions since West and East spell WE – north is up from WE and South down.

        You might be able to use stars if the night is clear. Here there is the ‘North Star’ it is not the brightest and is part of the handle of one of the ‘Dippers’ part of Ursa Major or Minor.

        It doesn’t help when the ‘neighbors’ paint the house a different color… or some other major change. That happened to me once – the house had been one color, but I hadn’t visited a friend in years and the left I was supposed to take – I missed, because the house changed color!! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  25. I’ve always had a good sense of direction. Until, that is, moving to Florida! We lived coastal and would go into Orlando about once a month. A totally disorienting city, lol Guess there’s a first time for everything, Sadje 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.