“Slow It Down BUB”

You would think that when someone is retired, life slows down and much of the day is spent “gazing at the morning sunrise ….. blink, blink … and then gazing at the evening sunset”. Well, it really hasn’t been that way for me. My life still is very full.

The other day I was taking one of my grandchildren to work and hurrying back to go to another grandchild’s First Communion. I was zipping along pretty good…maybe too much zip, when I spotted a black car at the side of the road. I did what every honest driver does in those moments…”I put on the brakes and quickly got below the speed limit.” I was checking my rearview mirror as he pulled out behind me….”okay no lights on …so far, so good…. I’m almost to the next town line…hold your breath……AUUUUGH…RATS….the lights are on, here he comes.” The rest is somewhat of a blur….”license & registration, insurance card”. I’m thinking this will take time and I’ll be late for the First Communion…. plus, Points, $$Fine . I don’t remember if I even prayed.

Well, I started my defense with… “sorry officer, I’m on my way to a First Communion, yes the USAA insurance card is mine (veteran), the Police Card was given to me by my daughter’s brother-in-law, etc. …. in the end, he had mercy on me. I was very grateful to the Lord and to the fine young officer. I headed off driving at a safe 10 mph.

As I conducted the “post mortem”, I realized that I just wasn’t paying attention, I wasn’t living in the present moment, I was distracted.  I also realized our little Honda CRV has a lot of zip and it’s easy to get up above the speed limit. 

So, what’s the moral of the story,  the point of the BLOG? I guess it’s simply to pay attention…. to ask the Lord to help me be alert and pay attention. As I say the morning offering…offering my “prayers, works, joys, and sorrows” to the Lord, may it include asking the Holy Spirit to keep me alert to his will throughout the day…and to help me stay safely around the speed limit. Amen.