The Evils of U-Turns

I was happily driving along, faithfully following the instructions given by the lady in the box — my sat nav. Without warning, the rather stern voice announced:

“Make a U-turn as soon as it is safe to do so.”

What a terrible thing to suggest.

Or is it?

If I am heading in the wrong direction from my desired destination, then surely a U-turn is not evil at all. In fact, it is rather a good thing.

Back in October 1980, Margaret Thatcher famously declared, “You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.” It was a powerful political statement of resolve. Over time, however, perhaps that sentiment has slipped into our national consciousness. Turning back has somehow become associated with weakness, inconsistency, even failure.

But is refusing to turn really strength? Or is it sometimes simply stubbornness?

If we discover we are going in the wrong direction — morally, practically, relationally — shouldn’t we change course? Isn’t that the wiser choice? A U-turn, when necessary, is not a collapse of conviction; it is an admission that new information has been received and understood.

Turns, after all, indicate listening.

With my sat nav, I could of course switch off the sound and continue driving confidently in the wrong direction. But why would that be a good idea? Ignoring guidance does not make me right — it just ensures I get lost more efficiently.

It is surprising how often we take useful and constructive words and twist them into something negative. Take the word compromise. The dictionary defines it as: “An agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.” That sounds like maturity and cooperation. Yet I regularly hear the phrase, “We should never compromise.”

A friend of mine, Martin Scott, once heard someone add to that sentiment, “God doesn’t compromise.” Martin’s gentle reply was, “Of course God compromises — He compromises with me.” There is humility in that thought. Relationship, by its very nature, involves patience, adjustment, and grace.

Perhaps we need a reset in the way we use words. As my daughter Carla once remarked about certain expressions, they can become “just a waste of air.”

Maybe it is time to reclaim some of these ideas. Perhaps we should not be afraid to say, “That was a good compromise,” or “This U-turn was the right decision.” Maybe people have listened. Maybe they have understood that a new direction is needed — perhaps even a better one.

Wisdom is not stubbornly pressing on when every sign says we are wrong. That is not strength — it is pride in motion.

Sometimes the bravest, strongest, and most honest thing we can do is turn around.

So perhaps we should stop mocking U-turns and start asking better questions. Are we listening? Are we learning? Are we willing to change?

Because the real danger is not turning.

It is refusing to.

Before we dismiss U-turns as weakness, perhaps we should pause, think, and stop wasting air.

—
Adrian Hawkes
www.adrianhawkes.blogspot.com

W.502