Who knew a trip to a corn maze could offer so much perspective on life?
The first time we visited this particular corn maze, back in 2018, we were unprepared for the task, took on a trail more difficult than we anticipated, and failed to make it to the end. This particular farm has four different mazes you can explore: yellow (elementary); red (secondary); blue (bachelor’s); and mystery (master’s).
It’s taken three years, but we returned to the corn maze this week with renewed hope and enthusiasm. (Each year, the theme and design of the maze changes.)
This year’s experience was different… and full of so many life lessons that go beyond the corn stalks!
- You may feel excitement mixed with trepidation as you venture into something new and unfamiliar.
- You may get turned around and have to backtrack to find your way.
- Estimated time of completion is just that – an estimate. Your journey may vary from others and take longer, and that’s okay.
- A map helps. Not just that. A plan for how to follow the map also helps, as well as having others with you on the journey with a little more experience. Our friends had a strategy to navigate the more intricate parts of the maze. I would have been going in circles without their help!
- When it gets hard, take a deep breath and find a panic button. Just kidding. Life doesn’t really come with a panic button. But this maze did have checkpoints with ‘you are here’ maps posted, to reorient you to your location in the maze. This was a good opportunity to evaluate where we had made a wrong turn, and what we could do differently as we continued moving forward.
- It helps to plan ahead. The first time we attempted one of the mazes at this particular corn field, we were unprepared for the level of difficulty. The sun bearing down on us as we tried to navigate our way through the maze left us hot, hungry and tired. We gave up after about two hours, and found an emergency exit off to the side of the maze.
- Learn from your mistakes. It took us three years to return to this corn maze and try again. I’m so happy we tried again!
- You often can’t see what is up ahead and around the next corner; you may encounter a dead-end. It’s all part of the journey. Enjoy the journey and celebrate every chance you get! (With this particular maze (red maze), there were 17 trivia stations that coordinated with a crossword puzzle and word scramble. Each time we successfully found the next trivia station, we had a mini celebration. I’m happy to say we found all 17 stations and successfully solved the puzzles!)
This corn maze is located at Liberty Mills Farms near Charlottesville, Virginia. It’s the largest corn maze in the United States, with 34 acres to explore. For all the details, you can visit their website here: Liberty Mills Farms.
CINDY DIEHL 