The rain tapped a steady rhythm on the
car windows as a friend and I talked. The dreariness of the day matched our
mood.
As Joann and I discussed what Dr.
James Dobson refers to as “fatigue and time pressure,” we realized we how much
we had in common. Each of us had been born and reared in small towns where the
pace was slow and where people had time for one another. Each of us had had
close friends and time to cultivate and enjoy those friendships. Although we
had lived in the metro Atlanta area for more than a decade, we still found
ourselves longing for the slower pace and the relationships we’d thrived on as
children and teenagers.
That’s what we wanted, but not what we
had! Our lives were filled with stress as we juggled family responsibilities,
job demands, church and community activities, etc. We lamented the fact that
our busy schedules allowed little time for relaxation or for being with those
dearest to us. We talked on and on, oblivious to the downpour of rain.
Suddenly, Joann started to giggle. “Johnnie, we’re just two old turtles being
forced to live in the fast lane!”
We exploded with laughter at
her “homey” illustration; and, while I didn’t particularly feel flattered at
being compared to a turtle, the truth of her words began to dawn on me. God did
not equip turtles to travel safely on interstate highways. Neither did He
design people to live in the fast lane. Quite the contrary!
“The Sovereign LORD…says, ‘Only in
returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and
confidence is your strength.’” Isaiah 30:15
Yet, if we stubbornly insist on
living in the fast lane, we—not God—will be responsible for the carnage on the
highways of life.
Note: I wrote this more than 20 years ago, and it was included in my book Reflections, which was published in 2002.
