Hit The Brakes – Pay Attention To The Here And Now

The other night, Leanne and I were in Philadelphia for dinner and a play.  As subscribers to a local theater in which we see five shows a year, we’ve grown accustomed to driving into the city and parking in the same parking garage which is convenient to the theater and many area restaurants.  The traffic in the city was busy as usual.  As we approached the parking garage, I turned my left-turn signal on and prepared to enter the garage.  Just as it appeared that the path was clear, Leanne yelled “Stop!” as a white car sped through the intersection of the cross street next to the garage.

Thankfully, I was able to step on the brakes before our cars collided.  I’m sure the white car was going too fast, but I quickly realized that I had failed to see a red light in my direction as I was looking past it to the garage entrance.

This near calamity got me thinking (of course).

Obviously, I was very thankful for God’s hedge of protection on us which kept us safe.

Secondly, it’s important for us to be aware of our surroundings.  We can easily be caught up in looking down the road towards our ultimate goal or vision.  It’s important to have vision for the future, but we must also be aware of our present circumstances.  There are things happening all around us that deserve and need our attention.  Maybe it’s a red light telling us to stop for a minute.  But maybe it’s another signal that could impact the achievement of our goal.  Perhaps, you need to have a conversation with a fellow employee in the hall or in the lunch room today.  You could easily let the conversation opportunity pass as you head to your next meeting, or you could take a few minutes to find out how your co-worker is really doing.

I often get tunnel vision.  Thankfully, I’m a fairly safe driver.  But I tend to lock in on my target and miss out on the world happening all around me.

The near collision on Saturday night was a timely reminder to broaden my perspective and to pay attention to the details happening all around me on the way.

Do you struggle with tunnel vision?  What is one thing you can do today to be more aware of the things and the people around you?