Coming out of the fog

When we feel muddled and unfocused, unsure of which way to turn, we say we are in a
fog. Similar to when we are in a fog in nature, we may feel like we can't see where
we're going or where we've come from, and we're afraid if we move too quickly we
might run into something hidden in the mists that seem to surround us. Being in a
fog necessarily slows us down by limiting our visibility. The best choice may be to
pull over and wait for the murkiness to clear. If we move at all, we must go slowly,
feeling our way and keeping our eyes open for shapes emerging from the haze, perhaps
relying on the taillights of someone in front of us as we make our way along the
road.
By and large, most of us prefer to be able to see where we are going and move
steadfastly in that direction, but there are gifts that come from being in a fog.
Sometimes it takes an obstacle like fog to get us to stop and be still in the
moment, doing nothing. In this moment of involuntary inactivity, we may look within
and find that the source of our fogginess is inside us; it could be some emotional
issue that needs tending before we can safely go full steam ahead. Being in a fog
reminds us that when we cannot see outside ourselves, we can always make progress by
looking within. Then again, the fog may simply be teaching us important lessons
about how to continue moving forward with extreme caution, harnessing our attention,
watching closely for new information, and being ready to stop on a dime.
We cannot predict when a fog will come, nor can we know for certain when it will
lift, but we can center ourselves in the haze and wait for guidance. We may find it
inside ourselves or in a pair of barely visible taillights just ahead. Whether we
follow the lights out of the fog, wait for a gentle breeze to lift it, or allow the
sun to burn it away, we can rest certain that one way or another, we will move
forward with clarity once again.