eyrie

I dunno... the distance between 2 points is a straight line... but roads aren't always straight... although there are usually many intersecting roads, highways and "shortcuts".

Sometimes a shortcut isn't always a shortcut... distance-wise it might be shorter, but traffic conditions may prohibit someone from getting there faster. Just as a highway may not always be the fastest way to get from point A to point B when traffic is bumper to bumper.

Sometimes you can change course (take a different path), but depending on traffic and road conditions (work/family/personal/life), changing course may not always be "better". It depends on what your goals are... and a lot of it also depends on opportunity and luck.

I hate travelling, and wish the day that personal teleportation devices would arrive. But occasionally I enjoy taking the scenic tour... and mostly you just have to be content with crawling behind a large semi (what life throws at you).