Long Road?

The Road is Never Long...when you have a friend

DESIGN CREATED BY JUST DANDY STUFF

Every day is a journey. Regardless of the road you take whether a long-term goal or just riding a bus or train to work or to school or to your local Starbucks, you will always encounter others along the way. Whether you are Dorothy, Frodo, Shrek, Mad Max, Clark Griswold, Ellie Andrews or on a tour bus named “Priscilla” riding through a desert, the road is never long when you have a friend. Wear this design and be mindful of those who join, help or support you on your route called life. Remember, even in brief encounters with others, either they can influence your day or you may make an impression on theirs.

This product is designed by and is solely owned by Just Dandy Stuff.

Share details about your “journey”, “path” or “road” with others on our social media platforms or create your own. Who knows what friends you will find along the way in our community?

Read more about the designer’s purpose and creative process about this design on our Blog

THE STORY BEHIND THIS CREATION

by the designer

The designer utilizes this image to remind us that regardless of where we are in life, whatever road we take, even though our journey might start alone, we must remind ourselves we are never truly alone. We have people in our lives, whether completely present and visible or quietly waiting on the sidelines, who will always support us and the path we take.

The image on this design is quite capturing in its simple picture. But if you look closer, you will find the many details it captures. At first glance you see the adorable girl carrying and barely holding on to what appears to be a heavy stuffed animal. The stuffed animal is limp and tired and nearly dragging on the ground. At a second glance one might ask whose road is it? Is the journey one the girl is taking or did the stuffed animal start the journey and became too tired to continue and the girl stepped in to help it along its way? The road is a long path, but there doesn’t seem to be anything but road at its end. Where is she going, what is the end point, where did it begin? The image also shows a road – there is no question the path is clear, clear of distraction, clear of obstacles, a clear path. For the little girl and for the stuffed animal, it is a long clear path. Look closer at the little girl, her head is tilted downward. Is she tired, hopeless, struggling? Or is she focusing on each forward step she takes? Regardless of your perspective of the image, the question remains the road taken or how we take the road?

The designer wanted to express this image can capture many perspectives and as everything in life, our stories are always told in our perspective and what others see is their perspective. The duality of the story in this picture touches on all who wear it and all who see it. Sure the story is owned by the one who wears it, but for those who see it, well they can either relate or would have questions which hopefully starts a conversation. We are all unified by this image and can share a thread of life in this image.

"So many parallels can be made over several movies and characters, from Frodo to Clark Griswold, from Indiana Jones to Pee-Wee Herman, or from a tour bus in the land of Australia named Priscilla, the concept of the journey and those we meet along the way should never be forgotten as it is the integral part of the journey called life."

The designer, a fan of movies, made several comparisons to characters in movies when presenting this design. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy may have started alone and afraid on her first step following the yellow brick road. However, on her journey to Oz she encountered others such as the Tin Man, the Lion and Scarecrow who not only joined her on her journey, but shared her experiences and together they became friends who supported each other.

The same can be said of Ellie Andrews in the movie It Happened One Night. In the beginning of the movie, you see a wealthy, confident, defiant woman determined to defy her father and marry the man she “loves”. She jumps off the ship and swims to shore and the movie follows her on her journey to be with her man. On her travels, she encounters Peter Warner, a self-centered manipulative man looking to scam a buck or two under the guise of “news story”, who helps her along the way. She initially did not want or need his help but realized, given the circumstance, she had no choice but to accept his aid and eventually rely on it. Eventually, she learns that even with all the money in the world, nothing can buy true friendship or love and while Peter initially had nefarious intentions, he learned the consequence of his actions are harmful to others and even money is meaningless without love. We all need to be reminded our journeys take us to places we never imagined and while there is no guarantee that those we meet along the way are supportive or detrimental, the journey nevertheless leads to truth for those who seek it and the help we get along the way should never be forgotten or taken for granted.

Let’s not forget the expedition Shrek, a grumpy self-centered ogre seeking to be left alone, took which resulted in four successful and very profitable sequels. The premise is all about how you start with the character, not only accepting the fact that he is alone, but boisterously voices his desire to be left alone. In order to obtain his desired isolation, he must begin a quest and encounters a donkey and a princess which later become his friends who eventually help him gain his deed for his land to begin is lifelong happy life of living far removed from everyone else. It is at this point that he realized the importance of the friends he made along the way and his realization of the importance of their role and the evolution of character but also the things he learned about himself were through the way they saw him as much more than just an ogre. His goal and intention in the beginning of his journey was contrary to his end result. He grew, evolved and learned as the journey progressed. This might not have happened if he was alone on this journey.

"This image should remind each and every one of us we did not get where we want to be alone and we should remember we are never always alone, even when we don’t really see others who share the journey along the way."

Another comparison the designer discussed was the relationship between Jack Walsh and Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas in the movie Midnight Run. Jack, a loner, always on the run as a bounty hunter trying to earn a buck, could rein in his biggest score yet in finding and taking in “The Duke”, an accountant for the Mafia who turned over state's evidence and jumped bail to escape. At first glance these are typical characters embroiled in a life cycle made by the decisions they made, but as the quest unfolds, the characters are far from your initial perception. Yes, Jack is devious and brass and the Duke, well he just wants to run with the millions he stole from the Mafia. But as it unfolds, Jack has a sentiment and attachment to 'that watch' he wears and the Duke has more to offer than just the bribe to escape. They learn about each other and themselves on the long journey across the country, at times not only leaning on each other but relying on the other to carry them through.

So many parallels can be made over several movies and characters, from Frodo to Clark Griswold, from Indiana Jones to Pee-Wee Herman, or from a tour bus in the land of Australia named Priscilla, the concept of the journey and those we meet along the way should never be forgotten as it is the integral part of the journey called life.

This design is hoping to express each and every one of us to continue journeys throughout our life and to remind us whether or not we start alone, all journeys encounter others that affect our lives, help us succeed, change the way we view ourselves or just support us on our journey. This image should remind each and every one of us we did not get where we want to be alone and we should remember we are never always alone, even when we don’t really see others who share the journey along the way.

To continue this dialogue, to share your journey, or to discuss the best movies about a long journey, please share your views on our social media platforms.

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