This is an important message that I felt compelled to get out there!
Please slow down and pay attention to what is around you!
I just heard a horrific story that hit close to home and heard this voice inside my head tell me those words above. A woman my age was just hit by a car at my local family owned market (less than 1 mile from my house). She was most likely someone I know from my gym, which is right next-door, or from my community or school. I am shaking as I write this because I was just there this morning and I noticed a sense of frenzy in the parking lot. There were tons of cars and everyone was pulling out at once and in a huge rush to get somewhere. I felt yucky and wanted to get out of there, as the energy was not feeling good to me, it was feeling dark and angry.
This time of year we are pulled in so many directions and we're feeling overwhelmed with the Holidays and the busyness it brings. We are making sure that we have the right food to serve for Thanksgiving or the perfect presents for Christmas. It's a time of obligation not reflection. Obligation leads to frenzy, stress and anger. That is what you see around you at the malls and grocery stores this time of year.
Does all of this matter in the end if we are not there for those Holidays? Wouldn't your family rather have you at the dinner table celebrating with them? I know this sounds harsh, but we have to remember that "we" are what is important, to our family and ourselves. In the end, family and friends want YOU there with them.
So please heed these words and slow down and pay attention. Don't text or email while driving. Take a breath when you get in your car and look all around you before you back out of a parking space. Pay attention when you are walking in a parking lot. Use your common sense and just be aware instead of running and racing. When you run and race, you hit a wall at some point.
GO...
I so agree....and getting the word out as often as possible is so important. My daughter (17)is driving and I always tell her...just remember...don't worry if you are late...it's better that you and everyone else is around you is safe...Just drive safely ALWAYS!
ReplyDeleteTexting...can you imagine...I cannot believe how many people I see doing this...on the 405! This is a very important post and I applaud you for writing it!
Thanks Annie. I felt compelled to write this post as I was just in shock about the accident. The parking lot at that store is small, it's not like it was a mall parking lot where there are hundreds of cars.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to just drive like we use to and put the cell phones down. I see people in traffic and their heads are down looking at their cell phones. What happened to listening to some good music and keeping your eyes on the road?
Wow, my daughter is only 11 and I can't imagine how I will feel when she is out there driving. It makes me so nervous thinking about it.