It rained this morning. I woke up at 5:30 to start my day with rain. Lightning, thunder, the usual suspects accompanying a rain storm. Our over-saturated ground (translation: I haven't mowed my already-long grass for over a week now because of days of relentless rain in our region) wasn't thirsty, but my wife will be happy because she planted flowers yesterday.Traffic was a bear as I drove my daughter to school, and then to one of the local Starbucks for a meeting. A lot of horn-honking, a surplus of impatience, an excess of unwise driving decisions. In Washington, DC, tempers flare, tolerance fades, and religion gets tossed into the back seat when it storms during morning rush hour. (Actually, without the rain those actions are commonplace.)
And to what end? People will eventually make it to their offices and jobs. Sure, meetings will need to be rescheduled. Of course explanations will need to be provided to bosses. Hopefully, apologies will be offered to friends and family members who saw us at our not-so-best. (I'm pretty sure I did OK until my daughter got out of the car. I'll check with her.) The bottom line: Armageddon is not the eventual outcome of a Tuesday morning rain storm.
Oh yes, some positive observations: There were some who allowed others to pull in front of them. A few half-hearted waves to say "thank-you" were offered. Some drivers slowed down near large puddles bordering bus stops. More than half of the drivers had their headlights on (OK, a pet-peeve...sorry). I even saw a car stop to offer another driver in a stalled car some help.
A rainbow after the storm? A silver lining to the raincloud? My car's cockpit became a front-row seat to sometimes the best, but more often the worst of our culture. I got thirty-seven minutes to watch a story unfold where the actors were real-life characters, the setting was authentic, not a Hollywood studio lot, and the script was well... not scripted (though predictable). And now I am Blogging about it.
It rained this morning.
4 comments:
So true, my dear! If only we could see that these things, traffic jams, rain storms, even important meetings, are just momentary, temporary - what is more important is the journey and our response to the journey. Dare I even say it? Our character?
Is it who we really are that comes out in those situations? Hmmmm...
Well said love. Our character (good or bad)is on public display in these situations.
Love what Elaine said, because it is so true. It's times like these, in our car, within our home, with no one around except ourselves and God that is telling of our true character. Ohh the front people put on. But how you act, think, and feel when you are not under human eyes (except maybe family at home)reveils the inner heart of man. Are most really who they want us to believe them to be. Doubt it! We may never know, but God sees all. It's GOING to rain!
Mistica-
Great insight! The "inner heart of man" comment is dead on. Yes, it is going to rain! Thanks!
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