The Middle

Last week, in the early morning hours, I found myself driving down Antonio Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita. Antonio Parkway is a major three-lane thoroughfare that is almost always crowded with cars. But on this particular morning, there wasn’t a single car in site. Not one car in front of me nor one car behind me. It was really weird and for just a moment I felt like I was on a different planet.

Then I realized something kind of cool. I have the whole road to myself! I can drive fast in the slow lane, or I can drive slow in the fast lane, or I could even make lane changes as often as I want without a care. Today must be my special day because I totally own this road! I know what you’re thinking, but it was early, and my mind was wandering, so yeah, I guess I do sound kind of crazy. But I’m not crazy because guess what I did. I drove at a safe speed right down the middle of the center lane. Man, am I boring or what!

So why did I choose the middle lane? I could have driven in the slow lane, but I like to move at a pretty quick pace, so slow people really bug me. So maybe I should have chosen the fast lane? But the fast lane is full of people who are in way too much of a hurry and they’re usually distracted as well. So, I definitely don’t want to be part of that crowd either. But as soon as those thoughts crossed my mind, I realized I was doing something I shouldn’t be doing… and I’m not talking about my driving.

I’m talking about being judgmental. I don’t mean to do it, and you probably don’t mean to do it either, but if I’m being honest, I bet I do it ten times a day. Most of the time It’s just a bunch of unconscious thoughts flopping around in my head that dissipate as fast as they arrive. Yet, I know those thoughts are still wrong. I know I should always do my best to be open minded and accepting because people deserve the benefit of the doubt. Not long ago, I remember I was “the old guy driving super slow” in the slow lane because I bought my Mom some flowers and I was having a hard time holding on to the vase without spilling the water. A month before that I was “the crazy guy speeding down the fast lane” after getting a phone call from paramedics who were transporting my wife to Mission Hospital. Maybe it would help me to be less judgmental if I simply remember that there is only one planet that matters, and that we’re all on that same planet, made by the same Creator, for the same reason… and let Him take care of judgment!

It is only the long and patient road that leads to anywhere.

~ Muriel Strode