For the past couple of days construction has complicated my journey from abode to the church where I intern. Although there are a couple other ways to get to the church from the house, I see men actually designated to direct traffic "slowly" as their sign reads and somehow feel obligated to give them some business since they were not the lucky ones to get to operate the big machinery that day.
As I ran errands and had to go through that road that day this is how it went: Day 1 -- passing through, waiting in line to be waved on. Day 1.5 (2 hrs later) - same guy, hot since still waving cars one. Day 1.85 -- 2 more hours later -- SAME guy doing SAME job!!!
There he stood, in the heat, on asphalt all day, holding a huge orange sign and looking his right and left repeatedly to wave cars on to their destination. Although I know that working on Highways can be a decent job with benefits, I still felt bad for the guy. I was complaining to myself and God about spending my life on my laptop, researching and reading all day and yet realized how privileged I was to be able to "think".....to write my thoughts.....to learn more.....to ask big questions.....to buy weekly drinks at Starbucks and work in the aircondition. I have "opportunity" in so many areas of my life and will continue to have them so I needed to hush my anxious self soak up where I have found myself in life.
Day 2 - still waving cars but only passed him once.
Day 3 - same guy waving cars in the hot sun --- I stop and wait to be waved on --- and instead of him waving cars he waves at me. He finally gets my attention and he yells while pointing to his mouth, "Hey you, SMILE!!!!" He grins and laughs and then I see him through my rearview mirror walking away happily waving more cars on.
Huh. Who the hell am I to think this guy is miserable? Here I am having pity and he is probably in a more peaceful, thankful state of heart and mind than me. I'm thankful he shared that with me.
He's right. Although I am always for genuiness and honesty believing that life can completely be dreadful sometimes, taking too much of our strength to force a smile... I believe there are also times in life where we find joy. I also thank that perhaps God wants to provide spurts of comfort and joy most often but we have the decision to see it and realize it. I have a lot to be thankful for and so why am I not smiling? I am lamenting about some things in my life but for the most part I have peace and because of that I truly am beginning to believe again that God is at work not only in my life but in people around me.
For that alone, I should conjour up a smile or two occasionally ---- smiling in itself is countercultural in today's world with as much hurt as people are experiencing daily and bottling up. Life is too short to wallow in all of the things we "could" have or to let ourselves be consumed with our shortcomings...... at some point we have to just choose to smile and begin living in the present.
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