Life is not a highway

I think sometimes we all just really need to slow down.

As a runner, I love a good race. But, I think on occasion I allow that to carry over into too much of my life. I often forget that not every single thing has to be a competition to see who can get there first.

As it turns out, I am not the only one like this.

For instance, today when I was driving I noticed a car with its gas cap dangling on the side, so I pulled up beside the guy and tried to get his attention. But, as soon as I got even with him, he thought it was time to race, so he sped up. Each time I caught up with him, he sped up again. Fine. I hope you enjoy your Check Engine Light, sir.

This was after I got out-kicked this morning on the way to the checkout counter at a boutique store. I guess the woman with the pink feather earrings had somewhere super important to be. The look in her eyes was pretty fierce as she gave me an absolutely authentic smile as she made those last few swift steps that ensured her victory. Congratulations. You just saved yourself about 182 seconds.

Then there was the guy the other day who raced me to the door of Barnes & Noble so that he could hold it open for me. I will accept that defeat, thank you. Chivalry is not completely dead.

I don't know why I feel I have to be in a rush so often. I guess it partially stems from growing up in a household with Skipper, who is freakishly early to everything. I kind of got used to rush, rush, rush. My mom, who is just the opposite, primed my little sister to be more like her: relaxed and a bit more nonchalant when it comes to time urgency. You won't find either of them gunning it to beat someone off the line at a stoplight. It's often a different story with the other three in the family.

Lately I have really been trying to remind myself to slow down in life and not treat it like a race where I have to beat everyone around me. After all, life isn't a sprint; it's a long race that we must run with perseverance. If we're constantly trying to be the first and leave others behind us, how are we to engage with them? How are we to be lights to them?

If you eat a snow cone really, really fast you probably get a brain or heart freeze, finish before all of your friends and have to sit there waiting for them, and you likely didn't get to enjoy the taste that much. But, if you eat it slowly, you get to relish the taste and have fun chatting with your friends while the ice melts, and the flavor sinks in more, making it taste even better.

I am going to try to enjoy every precious moment I have here on this earth. I'm going to try to let my light shine for Jesus every chance I can, and that won't happen if I'm rushing through everything I do. Racing really fast is fine for actual races, but it doesn't have to be the way to live my entire life.

I think Ferris Bueller had some good insight when he said: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Slow down. Have a snow cone. Enjoy it.