I think it’s time to admit, I have an addiction to speed. Typical of a Southern California driver, I’m in the fast lane more often than not. If I ever get a ticket, I’m pretty sure it will be for speeding. This need for speed doesn’t only impact my driving; I also notice it when I’m on the ski slopes. It is SO hard for me to simply weave my way gracefully down the mountain. I have to race. When I type, I have to make sure that my fingers are practically flying across the keyboard. Instead of building a quality sentence from the start, I race right along and consequently hit the ‘backspace’ button at least a dozen times.
This principle follows me into my overall perspective on life! I always have to be ahead of the pack, the overachiever, the one who’s overly prepared, the one who’s always five minutes early, the one who accomplished the most. . . first. This is both something that I’m proud of and something that I find shameful to admit.
It has begun to sink in that life is not all about accomplishing some goal in the most economic, efficient, organized, and time-conscious way possible. It is so much more about the sights along the way!! How sad is it when I’m in the fast lane and all I can see is the center median on my left and a solid line of cars on my right!? I think it’s pretty unfortunate to miss the beautiful landscape along the way. Even if it means that I reach my destination a little later than I had planned, maybe it’s worth it to glide along in the slow lane.
I don’t understand why I’ve always had this notion that I need to plow through my school years full speed ahead. As always, the Lord’s timing for my life is not my own! The motto for my life should definitely be some version of “let go, let God.”
So I’m going to focus on taking it slow. . . spend more time in the slow lane. Enjoy the feeling of coasting down the ski slope, take pride in a well constructed sentence without needing to hit ‘backspace’ after every fourth letter. And maybe even take an extra semester to graduate from college. What’s the harm in that?
This almost made me cry. Particularly the very last sentence. it hurts my heart so much for you--and I think it might just happen to me, too.
ReplyDeleteYou so have it pegged, Natalie--same goes with my life, except sometimes I think my desire to live it out so fully (the little story of Ferdinand the boar who sits under the shade trees...except I RUN to the shade trees.) gets in the way, and I am late; fashionably, and have a story to tell of why I am late.
Not coincidence. "And as I WAIT for you, maybe I'm made more faithful"
-That song just came on to my blog.
I love you--see you in a week.
beautiful. precious. something needed to be read.
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