When I started driving we had the radio and cassette tapes in the car. No cds or auxillery cords, only the radio and cassette tapes. Piles of tapes. I remember how important it was to have the right music playing. Sometimes that meant swerving drastically while quickly reaching down in the floorboard of the passenger side (while driving) to grab a tape that had dropped and was now so desperately needed it was worth risking my life and the life of others to pick it up. In retrospect, of course, this was not a good idea. Now, as a 45 year old mom ("yelling about safety" -quote from Beverly Goldberg in The Goldbergs TV show, if you lived in or love the 80's I highly recommend this show!) I would never condone this rash, irresponsible behavior. Yet, it makes me think. How often am I on my phone, even at a red light? How often am I fumbling to answer my phone, plugging in my headphones to be "safe" while I drive and talk? Times have changed. Driving has changed. Thinking about reaching for the cassette tapes made me think alot about risks I took as a young driver and about risks many drivers, young and old, take today. We live in a highly congested area, lots of traffic, everyone in a hurry all the time. Ad in smart phones and everyone working 24/7 or at least communicating 24/7 and its a recipe for disaster on the road. Distraction.gov is committed to educating America about distracted driving. According to their website,
The Huffington Post reports that a driver is 4 times more likely to end up in a crash while texting and driving. You can find information and statistics all over the internet. Or, in my town, you can see the results of hurried, distracted driving every week, sometimes daily with car crashes all around town. I am just as guilty as the next person - driving distracted, ignoring my passengers, missing the moments I am in because of my phone. I am determined to slow down and not be tethered to my phone, especially in the car. I can enjoy the radio or talk to the people in the car with me instead of worrying about texting or talking to those who aren't. Maybe think or enjoy a quiet moment in the car if I am alone. Here's an idea, I can actually pay attention to my surroundings even at a red light. Let's all stay safe and enjoy the road today.
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Do you set goals and reach them quickly? Do you always accomplish your goals? Do you have lots of dreams and goals left untouched or started and not finished? As I was running today I thought about how for the last 3 years I have had the same goal. Run a 5K. At different times through those 3 years I have started a "couch to 5k" program and then paused, started again, stopped, started again, paused...you get the idea. As I ran (you can gather, I am trying again) I thought is it better to have a goal and take a long time to reach it, to drop it and pick it up again or is it better to have no goal? Is it better to be a goal setter who reaches every goal and reaches the goal quickly? Do you know anyone like that? I often say "I am slow but eventually I will (plug in whatever may be on my list to do)". This applies to everything from purchasing gifts for people to painting projects around the house. When I catch myself thinking - what's the point? Why even try any more I stop those voices in my head and tell myself to take another step. Maybe I paused, or stopped but for some reason I need to keep trying. Maybe it isn't a matter of which way or who is better - the goal setter who sets and reaches every goal quickly or the one who slowly but surely gets there eventually. The reality is we are all in this life together. Maybe we should encourage each other to just keep going, pick up the things we have dropped, press restart, and don’t give up. I'll let you know when I finally run that 5k. Photo Credit: Celistine Chua, Flikr When you think something is yours and then it’s given to others ….it’s a reminder that nothing is really yours to begin with. Everything is a gift. Time, people, experiences, things, money, relationships, work, vacations, promotions, and positions. Sleeping, waking, walking, talking, bathing, laughing, crying, and watching. Here today, gone tomorrow, no one can take anything for granted. No one is promised tomorrow, no one is promised the next minute, the next week or the next year. When put in perspective we realize it’s not worth jealously, holding on to hurt feelings, manipulating situations.
Let it all go and fall into sync with the rhythm of life that is yours for today, for this moment, with whoever is with you, doing whatever you are doing for this day. A familiar line taken from Dr. Seuss, wisdom from his popular story Whorton Hears a Who reminding us that truly everyone matters. From my little spec on this little planet - my view from the west. America. Suburbia. Christendom. A mom's view. A view from a neighbor, wife, daughter, friend, small community member. One view, knowing there are many but this is one...
STOP trying to reach millions and reach those in your own home. Reach your neighbors. Your extended family. Reach? How about connect with and love - stop trying to reach people with a message and instead pause, look and listen to them. Have eye contact. Listen without thinking about what you will say in response to them, or what you have to do next. Listen to know them, to feel with them. Stop sending a message to people about how right or wrong you think they are and instead send a message that you actually care about them - the person - whoever they are. Your librarian, cashier, waitress, neighbor, sister, brother, son, daughter, significant other. Do they know you really care? Is life flying by? Are the minutes disappearing? Are your days going faster and faster? What really matters? Who really matters? |
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