The fog was as thick as I’d ever seen it.
The old phrase “as thick as pea soup” comes to mind but I’ve never actually been in pea soup before so I don’t know if it was that thick or not.
It was the kind of fog that makes you think of those pileups of 70-80 vehicles because one person simply didn’t have the caution and patience of everyone else.
We could barely see 20-30 feet in front of us and it was 10 am!
We had a long drive in front of us so we figured we’d better get going because our weather apps were telling us this would persist for most of our drive.
As we started to slowly inch our way out of the city I had a car behind me flashing his lights persistently.
As he continued I moved very cautiously over into the left lane to get out of his way so he could pass me. He followed right behind me and flashed his lights some more.
I began to speak to him out loud wondering what in the world his problem was and questioning where he might have gotten his license or even if he had one.
I pulled back into the right lane and he pulled behind me again and flashed some more.
My car is equipped with DRL or daytime running lights, a feature I’m sure many of you have on your vehicles. My lights are always on so I knew that couldn’t be the issue.
As he continued to flash I decided to just pull off on the shoulder to let him pass so he would stop annoying me and he could flash someone else.
Pulling over, I thought maybe I should check to make sure my lights were working. Maybe I had an issue of which I wasn’t aware!
I got out of the car and quickly noticed my backlights were not on. At least in my vehicle when the DRL lights are on during the day the taillights are not on.
Whoa! That was news to me.
Here I was questioning this guy’s driving skills and his intelligence and he was simply trying to warn me of an issue that could cause greater problems for me and others on such a difficult driving day!
Immediately, I hopped back in the driver’s seat and turned my lights on with the switch and went back and checked and they were on. I, my wife and daughter and all the other drivers were now safer because this driver had created an “aha” moment for me!
The flasher had made me aware of a blind spot in my own driving skills. Up to that point I didn’t know that the taillights don’t work just because the front lights are on with DRL.
This blind spot could have had a dramatic negative impact on others that day. Thankfully, that person was persistent in letting me know I had an issue.
It takes great courage to acknowledge we all have blind spots in our lives. Areas in which we can hurt ourselves and others if we don’t admit the issue and make accommodations for them.
It also takes great courage to make others aware of their blind spots.
When people point out my shortcomings and weaknesses I have a tendency to get defensive and to tune them out. I don’t want to hear about it.
My pulling off the road was a way to tune that annoying driver out. I didn’t want to think I had any issues. They had to be his or her issues.
We must be willing to accept the critique from others knowing that it may help us.
That driver on that pea soup day certainly helped me!
One of the blind spots I had for many years was that I was a great starter and a lousy finisher.
This is something I continue to struggle with every day. You’ve been told in other blogs about a book I have been working on for several years.
When I started writing it I was gung ho but it didn’t take long to for me to be distracted by other things.
When this was first pointed out to me I dismissed it. I didn’t want to do a little introspection to see if it might be true. Much like the flashing light driver, I was annoyed by this person.
As my life has progressed I have become more aware of this weakness so it is no longer a blind spot. Because I am aware of it I can be proactive about doing something about it and not stay in the fog.
Have you discovered some of your blind spots in your life?
Have you had people in your attempt to lift your fog by telling you something you didn’t want to hear but you ignored them?
Do you have the courage to examine your rear taillights and discover an “aha” moment?
Doing so will make a difference in your life and in the lives of those around you!
1 Corinthians 4:14
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
Your flashers are on calling out to you, “FINISH THAT BOOK.”
Thank you, Ron. As you know, I need nudges like this. Actually, what I really need are big pushes. We can talk about that!
Dave, this is so spot on, not only the rush to judgement of others, but the need to accept criticism and advice from others. These are my personal blind spots, and I am still trying to work them out. By the way, when is the Book coming out….lol
Thanks, Craig, and thank you for the nudge on the book. I need to get it done but it’s like too many other things in my life, started but left unfinished. Gotta do it! Merry Christmas to you, your lovely wife, and the rest of your family!