The Magic of a Yellow Light
The other day, I was rushing somewhere. I can’t even remember where. A yellow light forced me to slow down, and in that pause, something shifted. I watched as the car in the other lane flew through the yellow light, and shortly after, cars drove past me.
A song was playing on the radio that I didn't get to hear properly over the motor's noise. But then the car came to a stop, and the music grew louder just enough for me to enjoy it. I noticed the people walking by, and this magical peace came over me. I exhaled and realized I'd get to my destination when I needed to get there. There wasn't a need to rush.
I saw this moment as a metaphor for life. We often live in a busy, rushed life, constantly thinking about the tasks that need to be done and never slowing down to enjoy the moment. I know I'm guilty of getting caught up in the past and planning for the future.
I have to remind myself that I will only get each moment once in my life; there's no going back or do-overs. It's okay to slow down, take a deep breath, and enjoy the present.
Life can become far too overwhelming at times. Rushing to the finish line should not be our goal. We don't know how much time we have here on Earth, so why rush through every moment?
I know it's easier said than done. I assure you, I'm not one of those people who would rather be off the grid without time to keep them in line. No, I thrive off of structure and routine.
I'm a single mom of three, working a full-time job while building my author/speaker career. I have task lists for every project and aspect of my life. I'm jumping from one task to the next, always asking what else I can do. I seem to always have a destination in mind, and I found myself so focused on getting there.
However, all these tasks are more of a distraction from some of life's most important moments. In my healing journey, as I jump from one milestone to the next, I need to pause and reflect on my strength and growth.
As a mom, I want to be more present in my children's lives because they won't be this young for long. I look at pictures of them when they were younger, and I always say I wish I could go back and enjoy that moment a little longer.
There's something nostalgic about the moments we didn't really cherish, the desire to wish we did and said more, that we held those memories a little tighter. I'm sure I'll have times in my life when I look back and long for more; that's a natural part of human nature.
But for now, I want to enjoy the peace of every moment, the chaos of every task, the magic of life. I don't want to rush through yellow lights, but instead use them as a reminder to slow down, take a pause, look around, and breathe.
Next time you hit a yellow light — literal or metaphorical — what would it look like to pause instead of rushing?
