Screeching Halt

Wrote this Saturday....forgot to post:)

Glad to be alive today. Alarm went off at 6 am. Doesn't my clock know it's Saturday, and I didn't have to get up until 7? Took one kid to work, and another to the Natural Science Museum. Not that I love work. We have a home business. More on that later. Not that I love science. I am certainly not a science buff. But the high school history teacher offered a 100 as a test grade, replacing the lowest test grade, for students who went to see Lucy.

http://www.hmns.org/exhibits/special_exhibits/lucy.asp?r=1

On the way, the Houston traffic came to a screeching halt. For a few min we sat there, among other people who didn't know why they were sitting there, either. Great time to talk with my almost-16 yr old son. We are people watchers. It's amazing to watch the look on people's faces. Most were angry. Others puzzled. But all revealed a sense of being inconvenienced.

That's when the convo was launched. We talked about how our society is rushed. How we even hurry to have fun!

As emergency vehicles arrived, and we tried to merge parked cars in order to clear the way. My son & I looked around, wondering how many people were actually concerned about those involved in the accident. Did any of them even wonder "is that someone I know?" Or were they all on their cell phones, telling the coach they'll be late for the game, or informing the playgroup that they will be dreadfully delayed. Canceling a manicure? Trying to bribe a history teacher? I know there were many legitimate issues that had to be resolved for the hundreds of people. Jobs not getting done. Some going to visit someone in the hospital, etc.

But as we sat there (for a total of 45 min) I couldn't help but to think of how we often overlook the obvious. If I had been on that stretch of the road a few minutes earlier, it could have been me in the horrid wreck. 3 lanes & an exit were closed. Major accident. And if I wasn't IN the wreck, but simply saw it happen, I would have abandoned my complacencies to play EMT for a moment (unskilled, unexperienced, but available).

I soon phoned a friend, and asked about the wreck...indeed, it was a bad one.

Before the road was cleared, I realized that there were no tears in the cars around me. No one was upset that those in the wreck had been inconvenienced. They wouldn't make it to their soccer games, hospital visits, etc. Some may have not made it anywhere.

Let's not get so caught up in our own needs, wants, hopes, dreams, that we forget about those around us. Even strangers.

Let me challenge you to focus on someone else's needs today. Her preferences. His hopes. Their dreams.

And, pray. Lift someone up the Lord...you'll be talking to the One who was inconvenienced for you. He'll understand.