People approach a Stop Sign differently. Some will stop completely, wait, glance and glance again. Some come to a rolling stop, there’s a pause and then go. Others, well, they will speed right through the Stop Sign without slowing down.
To me this object is a perfect reflection of our lives. We have people who stop and truly see what is happening. They take their time and analyze the surroundings and what is taking place. We have some who slow down enough to see what’s nearby. They take enough time to quickly take everything in that is close by then and then proceed forward. While the last group either doesn’t have time or doesn’t make time to stop. They feel like they have to rush and that they have to be somewhere five minutes ago.
I would like to think I’m one who stops and sees everything, however I know I fall under the column of not stopping. I want to to stop, heck I would be happy just to be able to pause sometimes. I know a lot of it is self doing, not using the simple word, NO. I have added more to my plate than at times I can handle. I won’t admit it and will continue to push forward. I have dreams and goals for myself, for my boys and my family that I haven’t made happen yet. It’s a driving force in me and at times causes frustration, which in turn causes me to blow through that Stop Sign.
Over the last few weeks, I have made an effort to slow down. To take in the things around me and to try to enjoy things that I have been unable to for a long time. A lot of it goes back to who you surround yourself with. Be happy with yourself. Make time for the people who want to be in your life. I feel terrible for writing and having to think that way, but it’s been my mindset for so long to push myself to help others that I pushed others away. Family and friends who have rode beside me for so long have moved from the front seat to the back seat. You don’t see it when it happens and don’t notice until you look in the rearview mirror and see them in the distance.
It’s hard to turn the car around sometimes. You have to be somewhere else. You have made commitments to others and at times committed to more than you can handle. I’m very guilty of this. We get stuck in the tunnel vision thinking. We get so focused on where we have to go that we miss the people and scenery that passes us by. I’m making the effort to take the blinders off and see what I’ve been missing. I plan to use the brake pedal and ensure I’m taking in the things around me. The best example I can think of is from a song lyric from ALABAMA that nails the speeding through the Stop Sign; “I’m in a hurry to get things done, Oh I rush and rush until life’s no fun, All I really gotta do is live and die, But I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.”
I hope you take the time to stop. I hope you are able to turn the car around and pick up the ones who have moved to the rearview mirror. I hope to see you at the STOP SIGN and enjoy the company. I hope you enjoy your day and things you may have been missing.
TCB