I am now officially the mother of an adult son. David turned 18 yesterday and it was such a strange feeling today when the realization finally hit me between the eyes!
By the way...
Mom's birthday is tomorrow! Happy Birthday Mom. One of the kindest and compassionate people I have EVER known! I love you.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Observing Traffic
Driving home from work this evening a driver turned on his right blinker, signifying that he would like to move into my lane. I flashed my lights and gently eased up on the gas peddle to allow him to merge in effortlessly.
Behind this car, a second car took the liberty to capitalize on my good graces and quickly cut in front of me as well.
Why should my response to this particular driver differ from that of the first? I pondered for a moment and then realized, the first driver, in signaling his need to me, allowed me the opportunity to give. While the second driver, seeing my giving nature, decided to take advantage of it, and took what he wanted. He did not allow me the opportunity to give, but instead forced it upon me.
What a wonderful realization from the simplest of observations, even in the midst of rush hour traffic!
Behind this car, a second car took the liberty to capitalize on my good graces and quickly cut in front of me as well.
Why should my response to this particular driver differ from that of the first? I pondered for a moment and then realized, the first driver, in signaling his need to me, allowed me the opportunity to give. While the second driver, seeing my giving nature, decided to take advantage of it, and took what he wanted. He did not allow me the opportunity to give, but instead forced it upon me.
What a wonderful realization from the simplest of observations, even in the midst of rush hour traffic!
On Contention
Why is there so much contention everywhere? Lately I have noticed there is a prevalent amount of contention that fills the air, whether in the media, the neighborhood, or the office, it's everywhere!
Why so much striving and working ones self into such a frenzy to squabble over such trivia? There are some things not worth fighting over at the expense of peace. Some people simply like to pick a fight, while some like to engage...some people feel a dire need to be right, while some feel the need to resist...
Once the fire is kindled, it grows so swiflty; it rises and spreads with no one snuffing it out, until eventually it can no longer be contained. Once inflamed, it eats up the inner heart of the one in whose bosom it was ignited; it rages out of control to the point that any reason brought forth to extinguish it becomes engulfed by it. Reason becomes as a droplet of water among the wildfire in a forest and that during the hottest season and after a long drought. A path of ruin and great devastation remains where once this fire ran its course.
A fool only would put himself in the path of an angry man, one full of such ire and rage. I will not be that fool! I will not put myself in a futile situation where the sole outcome resulting would be to get burnt. Instead, I will let this flame consume itself until at last it can consume nothing more, and must, for lack of fuel on which to feed, extinguish itself.
Such contention must be so wearisome, so tiresome! How can one find peace and rest when the heart is stirred into such a frenzy? Where can one find solace, when the soul and mind is so disquieted?
Why so much striving and working ones self into such a frenzy to squabble over such trivia? There are some things not worth fighting over at the expense of peace. Some people simply like to pick a fight, while some like to engage...some people feel a dire need to be right, while some feel the need to resist...
Once the fire is kindled, it grows so swiflty; it rises and spreads with no one snuffing it out, until eventually it can no longer be contained. Once inflamed, it eats up the inner heart of the one in whose bosom it was ignited; it rages out of control to the point that any reason brought forth to extinguish it becomes engulfed by it. Reason becomes as a droplet of water among the wildfire in a forest and that during the hottest season and after a long drought. A path of ruin and great devastation remains where once this fire ran its course.
A fool only would put himself in the path of an angry man, one full of such ire and rage. I will not be that fool! I will not put myself in a futile situation where the sole outcome resulting would be to get burnt. Instead, I will let this flame consume itself until at last it can consume nothing more, and must, for lack of fuel on which to feed, extinguish itself.
Such contention must be so wearisome, so tiresome! How can one find peace and rest when the heart is stirred into such a frenzy? Where can one find solace, when the soul and mind is so disquieted?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
