In a previous blog I did for Ordinarily Extraordinary Women, I talked about the importance of staying in the present moment.
Did you ever find yourself driving the freeway or expressway behind a large vehicle? You can’t see much around the vehicle. I don’t know about you but I get antsy and want to find a way to get around the vehicle so I have an unobstructed view. Then it hit me. That’s just like us traveling on the roadways of life. We really can’t see the future, we can plan what we think it should be. We can guess what we think it will be. We can hope.
Healing Buttercup
We can even convince ourselves that we can control it. But it is like we have that big vehicle in front of us all the time obstructing our view. Only in life, we can’t find a way around the view obstruction. We just keep on moving along our journey in life only aware or seeing the present moment, if we even do that. Yet we spend countless moments trying to figure out a way to control the outcome of our future.
So as I drove along the freeway behind the truck thinking these thoughts, I decided to stay behind the truck. I could see the road and his lights which would warn me of slowing traffic and the cars on my right who would also be slowing. I decided it might be good practice for staying in the moment and accepting what was currently going on in this very present moment.
I also decided to notice what I was seeing and enjoying the journey from this vantage point. What a novel idea!
What do you do when you find your obstructed by a large vehicle in front of you? Are you content to stay put? Have you ever seen it as a metaphor for your life?
Great metaphor! It’s hard having our vision blocked, isn’t it? Learning how to be comfortable with that is a great exercise. If I feel like I’m really blocked from seeing something I need to see or am ready to see, I take myself inward to reflection. Writing often helps me see what the other parts of my brain cannot yet focus on. And of course, whatever I discover is only the next piece. We don’t get to see the whole puzzle, so we have to keep constructing our ideas and working with what we have. The trick is to remember that we have incomplete vision.
Judy Stone-Goldman
http://JudyStoneGoldman.com
Where the Personal and Professional Meet
All so very true. The insignts I have been getting lately have been amazing. I have a piece coming that I may need to break into 2 blogs. I know you will enjoy it.
What a wonderful way to look at this! I really dislike having a larger vehicle in front of me and invariably move to get beyond it. I really like the idea of this exercise staying behind the truck (or SUV, or pick-up, or anything bigger!!) I think it should be a very good way to practice staying in the moment.
Wonderful Julieanne! Thank you so much for sharing this! ♥
You are quite welcome. I was surprised when I got this flash of insight. Especially after my Friday night insight, it just seems that I’m seeing more and more. I still want to move around it but I stop and really ask myself if I can just stay where I am until he starts moving too slow or I find he is brake happy.
Oh yes living in the present moment and being patient. I love how you have seen the positives in being behind a truck- a wonderful lesson for all
Thank you for commenting! It was interesting to see the lesson behind the event. It was such a flash of an insight but I am aware of it and each time I find myself in that situation I question whether I need to move around it or just ride it out! It definitely reduces some stress! And gives me time to contemplate.
Beautiful metaphor and it resonated with me not only because I drive a lot for my business since years going up and donw the North of Italy but also becuase I love cars!
When I have a big vehicle in front of me I realize I’m being impatient the belief being
” This big truck is making me lose time”
Since I spend hours driving, I have learned to ” use” this time to thank the universe for one single thing I have now, a small one.
This game helps me refocus on being in the here and now, a space dedicated to real presence and peace.
Thanks for sharing and nice to meet you Julieanne!
It’s nice meeting you too Patricia. I have always disliked not being able to see ahead. And there are times a truck may be slower than I like but mostly it’s the blocked vision that makes me twitch! I like your idea of finding the grateful when behind a truck. Maybe we should do that at stop lights too!
Your metaphor really resonated with me Julieanne. Here’s an interesting question/twist: have there ever been times in your life when you’ve realized that you are the truck? That you’re getting into someone’s way and preventing them from living in their own present moment? Have you ever had to switch lanes, get out of someone’s way, and let them move on down the road?
This took me some time to respond! I have to think about that. Maybe those times I spent fruitless minutes convincing someone to do it my way? Interesting question. I will ponder that one!