There?s been some construction going on in our neighborhood recently so I?ve been seeing a lot of orange on my morning walks: orange cones, orange signs, orange vests. I had already been joking with the orange-clad gentleman holding the alternating ?slow? and ?stop? signs as I walked by, obediently altering my pace according to his sign each time I passed, when this sign caught my attention. It tells passersby to prepare to stop and this gave me pause. Not because I was following the instructions on the sign, but because it resonated with me in areas of my life.
Like most people, I have plans. Plans for the day, plans for the weekend, plans for my life. And once the momentum starts, things can just kind of get rolling. Sometimes I lose control of events and a project can begin to unravel. Then, I?m faced with the choice to A) power through and hope for the best, B) press the panic button and abort the mission, or C) pause to reevaluate. I?m embarrassed to admit that I choose option B more often then I should. I stop in my tracks, shed a few tears (sometimes a LOT of tears), and then try to do damage control when I see the wake behind me. I don?t recommend option B. Option A seems optimistic at first glance, but the disadvantage is that one can sometimes continue going forward with blinders on and only the end of the line reveals fatal flaws that often can?t be rectified.
But if I?m PREPARED to stop, it implies that I?m moving forward assertively, but cautiously, with my eyes wide open and my head clear to make snap decisions when necessary. This seems like a wise way to live. This is my goal and desire.
