So often we live
believing everyone clearly sees us, and mistakenly judge others from that point
of view. Every once in a while we may be
blessed by situations that provide startling shifts, conflicting insights and unanticipated
reflections that may humble the proudest among us.
----------------
It
was like any other spring day in Florida.
The sun was shining, the heat was unbearable and the humidity was disturbingly
drenching. I had just finished mailing a
few packages at the local post office when I exited the building, stepped out
from under the awning and into the bright Florida sun. It was about half past eleven when, with the sun
to my back, I came out from those shadows and into the crosswalk area leading
toward the parking lot.
I’m
typically a very brisk walker and usually cover the ground from the exit to my parked
car in no time at all. This day though
felt different and it was as I was in midstride and half way through my path
that I noticed a huge white utility truck pulling out into the crosswalk path
and right toward me. Alarmed, I stopped
and backed up quickly, waving my raised arms wildly trying to get the driver’s
attention as I did.
It
was where I was planning to step that the driver finally saw he was about to
hit me and slammed on his breaks. His widened
eyes took a while to come out of that shocked look you get when you realize
what you could have done. On the other
hand, I was dealing with my own racing heart and uncomfortably indignant
thoughts all presupposing that I had the right of way coupled with an
assumption that he was just a rude and inconsiderate trucker.
The
startled driver looked out his dirty sun-glared windshield and expressed what
looked to be an exaggerated shoulder shrug as he hit the gas and continued on
his way.
I
worked my way back to my car, still nursing a fast paced heart and troubled
mind. The heat from the car blanketed me
as I open the door and slid into its hot seat.
The sweat poured from my brow even though the blasting air conditioner blanketed
me. Engaging reverse, I backed out of my
spot, put my car into drive and pulled forward into the crosswalk area that I
had just walked through moments before.
And
in that moment I found myself slamming on my breaks; just as I was about to hit
a woman coming out of the post office shadows and into the crosswalk area light.
She
quickly walked past my stopped car, earnestly apologized for walking so fast
and for skirting the crosswalk lines. Still
reeling from the jolt, I nervously smiled and just waved. I was having a very difficult time forgiving
myself all my previous crosswalk thoughts.
When
I finally reviewed how those two minutes unfolded, I fell quiet. I wondered… How many times have I been troubled by those who could not see me? How often could I have caused trouble because
I could not see others? How does the
Light in each of our lives blind us to those who are right before us?
I
wonder still.
F&S,
Brother John S. Nagy
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