sometimes we just need a little space

I was on my way to the office today.  My normal route is not the fastest way there; I like to take the slow road, because it takes me along the creek, and this time of year it smells great.  (side note: my nose doesn’t work for most smells, but I am thankful for the ones I do get.)  As the winding road put me out at an intersection, I noticed a car ahead of me, facing me, in my lane.

That’s not normal.

The driver had obviously turned into my lane instead of the lane he wanted, the lane that would take him to his preferred direction.  As I approached him slowly, I could see that he was an elderly gentleman, and he had an elderly lady with him.  Let’s assume that it was his wife.

Can you imagine the conversation and mood in the car?  Do you think that he was embarrassed, or that she was mad?  Was there tension, fear, and maybe some anger stirring?  Cars were coming at him from all directions, and he was stuck in a lane he didn’t even want to be in.

Life can be like that, can’t it?  You make a mistake, slide into a wrong lane, and all of a sudden there are people mad at you, horns blaring, folks staring angry stares.

I’m sure that the guy didn’t want to be in the wrong lane.  He probably felt worse about his mistake than anyone.  His ego was wounded, and the world was watching his mistake unfold in real time.

Fortunately, the situation was resolved without incident.  He waited until the traffic stopped, and the oncoming drivers showed his a little patience and grace as he backed up, turned into the right lane, and got back on his path.

I’ve been there, too.  I’ve been the grateful recipient of grace, of some space to back up, to undo the mess that I’ve made.  Sometimes there have been consequences; other times all it cost me was a little wounded pride and apologies.

I’m thinking that we can all use a little space to back up and start over, to get back on the right path.  From time to time we’re all going to find ourselves in the wrong lane with traffic bearing down on us.  We’re all going to need some grace at an intersection, so let’s be generous in the giving of grace.  Instead of hitting the horn and rolling down the window to hurl insults, let’s be quick to laugh at our mistakes, and quick to let others off the hook.

sometimes we just need a little space to get headed in the right direction.