Today I had a really interesting drive. I had a business conference in St. Charles, Illinois, so I hopped in my Ridgeline and hit the road bright and early; as it turned out, not nearly early enough!
My route to this lovely western suburb took me through the heart of the City. I think they must be spending all the stimulus money on repairing the expressways of Chicago...and that translates to something other than "express." It got pretty intense. As I struggled to stay alive, it occurred to me that driving in the big City is a lot like life. It requires a little skill and a lot of luck.
It's interesting how many driving "styles" are out there...as I dodged and darted, it dawned on me that these parallel the personal styles of the people we rub up against in the ebb and flow of life.
There's the squatter. They like to think they're qualified to drive in the fast lane...not. They squat and expect everyone else to work around them--they were there first and they own the space. They are oblivious. They are obstructionists...they hate change and so they find a groove in life and put it on auto pilot...and won't move regardless of what it may mean to others. These are the passive-agressives that populate our churches, neighborhoods and the workplace.
One of my favorites is the lane changer...the grass is always greener for these folks. They tend to create a lot of stress for the rest of us, because they're unpredictable and unreliable. They just can't be depended upon. These are the underachievers in life. Their lives are a series of starts and stops...and in the end, they never stay at any thing long enough to enjoy the synergy that develops when we discipline ourselves to pursue a long obedience in the same direction.
Danger: here comes the guy that loves to pass on the right. These are the folks who think the rules apply to everyone else. They are rouges. They break all the rules, then blame others when things go really wrong. These people just don't play well with others; they don't get it...ever.
Have you noticed the guy with the biggest most expensive car is the one who always drives at a recklessly inappropriate high speed. "I'm important so move out the way, I have people to see and things to do." The world is full of these narcissistic types that are captivated by their own reflections. They get it, they just miss most of the really choice moments in life because they don't have room for anyone else.
Don't you just want to scream at the guy who refuses to yield...they do their best work by driving in the slow lane victimizing the poor souls who attempt to merge into traffic. Ah, yes, these are the rules keepers." They are intolerant and follow the rules to the letter of the law, and never give any grace; then wonder why they are tolerated but never celebrated.
So...what does your driving say about who you are? The lesson here is that the world is a big stage where the way we live is constantly scrutinized. And when the way we live demonstrates we can be trusted, that we care--we take a giant step toward relevance; a chance to make a difference in lives of people we touch...a chance to make hard lives, easier.
I don't know if the conference I'm attending will prove to be a "keeper." But I do know this; the drive was worth the conference.
