Do you sometimes feel like you’re driving in circles like a race car at the Indy 500? I know I do. Life moves along at such a rapid pace. Often, I can’t find an exit to simply stop. Can you relate?
This dilemma reminds me of an incident that happened years ago to my good friend, Shadrach. When he arrived in the US from West Africa for college in the mid 1990’s, he had no idea how to drive a car. In fact, he really had no experience with anything mechanical. For him, learning to operate a riding lawnmower was a challenge.
So, when he asked me about taking driver’s ed, I admit I was skeptical. But he wanted independence, and I didn’t blame him. Always needing someone else to drive him everywhere was a real hassle. A driver’s license would be his ticket to freedom.
Before he had completed his driving classes, a member of a nearby church gave him a car. After all these years, I don’t remember the make or model of the “Shad Mobile”. But what I do recall is that it was big. Its body was the color of a dull grey sky dotted with patches of rust. Nevertheless, what it lacked in good looks, it made up for in performance. That old car ran like a dream.
The day Shadrach received his driver’s license, he and his sister, Mary decided to take it for a spin. They left from the campus of University of Indianapolis and entered the highway with plans to stop at Goodwill to pick up a few items. Unknowingly, Shadrach headed the wrong direction on Interstate 465 that day. He and Mary found themselves circling around the city unable to find their exit.
When they decided to stop, the car was nearly out of gas and Mary was in tears. With a call from a phone booth on the gas station lot, I was able to redirect them back to campus. Neither one of them was interested in going to Goodwill at that point. Their shopping trip would have to wait for another day.
In the days before cell phones and GPS, what Shadrach needed was a map. Not long after this incident, we purchased one of Indianapolis for him to keep in his car. To my knowledge, he has never had issues finding his way in the city again.
During this busy holiday season, it’s easy to find yourself driving in circles like Shadrach, unable to locate an exit. Soon your gas gauge is hovering on empty and you know you’re in trouble. At that point, your only option is to get off the highway to rest, regroup, and refuel.
For me this means, hiking in the woods near our home on sunny winter days, snuggling with my grandchildren, and cozying up with a new Advent study to prepare me for Christmas. But each of us is unique. The answer for one, will not work for another. So, this holiday season and the remainder of your year, don’t fail to get off the highway for a break. Whatever it takes, give yourself permission to pause and stop driving yourself in circles. Rest, regroup, and refuel.
Life is not a race: move at your own pace.
Victoria Elizabeth Kabernagel
