A question of boundaries

Our state highways have these ridges 

Down the center of the roads, 

And sometimes on the edges, as well. 

They’re put there, I assume, 

To warn distracted or sleepy drivers 

When they start to stray 

From their appointed lanes, 

And it’s helpful: the noisy bumping that you feel 

When accidentally crossing that yellow line 

Is a powerful wake-up call, 

 Easily interpreted, and easy to respond to. 

 But there are other wake-up calls 

(And for the anxious, they’re everywhere) 

Less easy to interpret, to agree upon response, 

Or act upon, if even you agree: 

So some of us travel through Life on high alert, 

Confined to ever-narrowing lanes 

While others seem to drift unseeing 

Across boundaries which some would deem 

Quite clear. 

It’s a mystery, and a source of much 

Disagreement and confusion…