Living at a safe speed

Years ago, when I was in the Air Force, we had to take driver safety classes. One video we watched talked about an arrow that goes in front of your moving car, representing your stopping distance. You used that arrow to determine if you were following someone too closely, or if you should continue through an intersection when the light turned yellow. I don't know why, but that image of the big green arrow on the road in front of the windshield has stayed with me for 36 years. I think we live our lives like that, pushing our aspirations and goals out ahead of us, keeping our eyes on the arrow instead of what is happening around us. Can we get through the intersection? Would speeding up help? All the while, missing everyday blessings, not seeing, not hearing, as if being stopped at the intersection is the worst thing in the world. Then, one day, the green arrow is gone. We are stopped by circumstances beyond our control. We can choose, then, to be angry or sad, throwing our despair around for all to bear. Or, we can get out of our car, and begin to walk, step by step, enjoying the breath in our lungs and our beating heart. Of course, we can choose to do this before we are confronted with such a circumstance. That would be the wise choice, to live at a safe speed, with a daily awareness of the wonderful gifts we have been given, and a grateful heart.