The truck’s brake lights were loud, obvious, and in my face. I was not in any danger. There was nothing amiss. I was unsure if the trust was coming or going, if there was a driver, or if it was idling without anyone behind the wheel. The dark-tinted windows ensured no one knew the actual situation at that moment or what it might be in the future. The scene played out for several minutes, triggering a reflection that sets the stage for the day ahead.
Life unfolds with breaks and brakes. My life’s break/brake points often follow an insight or new awareness. The breaks have become treasured moments where I turned my life towards a better direction. The breaks put the brakes on everything that was unfolding. I want to credit something ahead of me, giving myself credit for the decisions and judgment that went into the change. Candidly, most of the time it was not my choice to stop. What I had in the moment was a clear choice.
When one hits the brakes, one does not always know what happens next. Yes, there are choices. The challenge is seen clearly at the extreme: “Nobody knows for sure that the human spirit rises to heaven or that the animal spirit sinks into the earth.” (Ecclesiastes 3.21) What I have is faith. Faith in my beliefs. Faith, I make a difference. Faith in my willingness to care.
Brake lights are on the outside; it’s the inside that matters. Being able to see my true self, my mind, heart, and soul, is a quest. I have been on this journey for a long time. I have almost accepted the idea that I do not always know what is happening within me. In the openness that comes with this acceptance, I am able to muster the courage to use all the tools at my disposal to see with clarity. In the good and the bad, the darkness and the hope with what I find, I discover the invitation to collaborate with Divinity to step towards my best self.
