While on my morning bike ride yesterday, I was pedaling hard & riding fast to burn off some extra vacation calories. The bike path runs along a fairly busy road, about 20 feet from high speed traffic, providing safe passage for riders and pedestrians. Occasionally, there is a side street to cross. Huffing and puffing, I came across one such intersection and noticed this sign nestled on a fencepost under a tree:
At this point in the trail, riders leave the paved path and ride on the street for a short time before the path begins again. There is fast-moving traffic along this country road, as well, though not as many vehicles as the main road. It is sound advice, though, for riders to stop and check both directions before proceeding. As the sign states, the traffic will not stop for them.
I stopped for a couple minutes and sat on a nearby fence rail, had a sip of water, caught my breath and decided it was time to turn back and head home. For me, the stop sign was about more than just the traffic in the road. It was a chance to think for a moment and decide what to do next.
How often do we overlook such signs in our daily lives?
Instead of waiting for the “traffic” in our lives to stop – because it won’t – we need to stop and take stock of where we are and where we are heading. We need to monitor what is happening all around us and intentionally choose our next step. Sometimes, we need to decide when to stop pedaling like mad and simply enjoy the ride. The need to stop or, at least, pause applies to our relationships, our education, our careers, our health and our lives.
I finally saw signs in my own life that led me to my recent retirement. I am thankful for those signs, even though some of them were painful. For many reasons, retiring was a very good decision for me and for my family.
What signs are trying to reveal themselves to you?
Stop for a moment. Check the traffic in your life. Be fully present to the signs you see. Use them to deliberately decide the best way to proceed into your future.
