As the light turned green, everyone on the line paused. There were four lanes of cars supplemented by 2 scooters and five motorcycles squeezing in where there was room. We clearly had the right of way! We were within our right to go. We could, but… A big truck was still turning. He had started long before the light turned yellow. He was big, slow, and careful. I waited along with the rest.
My mind started puzzling. Technically, going was legal but realistically not appropriate. I had been in hurry. There were reasons, desires to be more accurate, that were driving my obsession with speed. I was talking to myself about motorcycle riding and destinations, wasn’t I?
The reflection did not end when I got to Raffles Place. I am often in a hurry. I also tend to be intense. The combination often leads to decisions that are on the edge. As I mused over the practical reason to slow down, I found myself taking the long way to work. An old bit of advice was spinning in my mind; “Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.” (1 Corinthians 6.12)
Your day and mine is filled with intersections. Physically and metaphorically, there are reasons to rush. Often the fine print of life gives us permission to push things right to the edge. There is an alternative! Life can be more than data, information, decisions, and outcomes. It is filled with window to observe and experience beauty, wonder, and awe.
I know that my day is going to be extremely busy. The appointments stretch out endlessly. I am not sure I will be able to slow down, yet even in the busyness of it all I can be aware of what is around me. Each moment is an opportunity to savor what is unfolding. It is a window in which I can make a difference. It is also an invitation to More.
