We all encounter them. We think we are going along fine, and something comes up to stop us, to cause us to turn around, to find another direction. With physical roadblocks, we know the road will be repaired, the tree cleared, the problem moved out of the way. It is even more disconcerting when the roadblock is with people. Maybe it is another person's making, or maybe, if we really look closely, something we helped to create.

Unfortunately, it happens more often than we want. We have to reconsider what happened to create it and then begin the process of deciding if it is something to be overcome or a new direction needs to be developed. Most often, we need to work through what occurred or we risk encountering a similar roadblock.

Stephen Covey indicacates that in any conflict we need to "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." There is wisdom in helping to understand the issue before we express our concern over the roadblock. Once we can hear the other perspective, we are most likely to be able to respect the conflict from another perspective. It might not even be important to express our full frustration and self-interest.

We don't have to fume or fret or rehearse how we will tell someone what bothers us. We could take time to hear the other perspective. Sometimes, roadblocks can offer us ways to better understand each other and ourselves. Roadblocks ultimately might be an opportunity for a better relationship, if we are only open to it.