The light turned green and I inched forward in anticipation of the car in front of me accelerating and moving on to wherever he was going.
Nothing happened.
My daughter was with me. I tapped the horn. I didn’t lay on it as I probably would have if she hadn’t been in the car with me. Nothing happened.
The light changed to yellow and then red and we hadn’t moved. The car behind me had gone into the other lane and sped through honking loudly as he passed us by.
The light turned green again, and still, no movement. That’s enough. Now, though, rather than my normal impatience I wondered if there might be something wrong with the driver. I backed up a bit so I could get in to the next lane and either help him or get going.
As I pulled up I could see he appeared to be sleeping and was actually drooling. I yelled at him through my daughter’s passenger side window. “Hey! Are you okay?”
He jumped at the sound of my voice. He waved and quickly said, “I’m fine,” and hit the gas as the light changed from yellow to red leaving my daughter and I staring at each other in amazement.
There may be more to the story but it simply appeared as though the guy simply fell asleep a traffic light!
A traffic light is no place to take a little snooze. Neither is life. Sometimes we need a wake up call!
Many years ago I was a news director for a small radio station in western Colorado. I received a press release for an air show in Grand Junction. There would be time for people in the press to visit and interview some of the participants and get a close up look at the planes.
I’ve seen a couple of air shows in my life and they are pretty cool but they’re not something I am passionate about or block out my calendar for specific dates and shows. If someone is going and they invite me I’ll go.
There’s no need for me to take the hour drive to Grand Junction for that. I’ll just read the standard press release stories they send me.
A week after the show I spoke with someone who had attended the press event. I knew the Blue Angels were part of the show but I was shocked when he told me the next part.
If you were a member of the press and showed up on press day you had the chance to fly with one of the Blue Angels. I was drooling as I realized I had fallen asleep at the wheel. Those are once in a lifetime opportunities. I’m sure I would have had to muster up some courage to get in the plane and I’m sure I would have thrown up. It would have been worth it!
What opportunities are you passing by in life because you are asleep at the wheel? What opportunities have you been able to take advantage of because you were awake and ready for life?
As Caribou Coffee would tell you: Life is short. Stay awake for it!
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
