On The Way 2 Traffic School

As the say goes here, you not only drive for yourself but everyone else. This is how some drive In Miami.

The road is their oyster, their toy and you are not invited to the play. You need to constantly be on the alert, on guard for the other driver. They come out of nowhere with a force of 100 pound gorilla, forcefully and your breaks better be ready, on their toes, fine and tuned just enough for you not to hit a third driver while dodging the first. It is a given and they are never apologetic.

It is comical but it is true. They don’t care. They have no regards for anyone or anything and seem to always have the most proverbial excuse on the table, “this is the way I drive in my country”. Fill in the blanks with the countries. You name it, they are on the list!

They just go without regards or thought. They speed, they zigzag, they give you the middle finger or hunk back when you hunk at them. They believe they own the roads and have rights to it, “freedom of speech” as they say and for that, they are allowed to do whatever they want and you as the other driver, better fend for yourself.

Just picture this, coming out of a strip mall. I am behind the Lexus and can see it coming. I smell it. This is Miami and patience run thin; it is not a virtue. I blame it on the heat. Pardon me, I blame everything on the heat because that’s the only thing that makes sense.

Gridlock to the max. Three vehicles were trying to exit at the same time but the Flamingo oil truck found itself in a peculiar position and needed to back up first. But it had no where to go as it had to wait on the other truck caught on the red light to move first, before it could move. Meanwhile, we all waited. Remember, I am behind the Lexus and to my right, there are cars parked in the emergency lane. So, we were already in the middle of the road to begin with.

While waiting for the red light to change to green, the two trucks to move, there came another driver, speeding down as if in hurry. Huh?! This is a two way street, where did he think he was going? First of all, he was on the wrong lane, I can just imagine what could have happened if another car was going straight ahead in the opposite direction. Touche, it would have also got stuck as it perhaps, would not have anywhere to go. Second, where was the driver going? We were sitting ducks, the road was blocked, the oil truck still not backed up and we were all waiting. But that did not stop the driver of the Infinity QX4. He just wanted to go and going, he was.

Finally, the oil track gets going. The traffic was moving.

But before he could breath, there went the Lexus. I wonder what happened at the traffic school.

Meanwhile, I am sitting, waiting for my turn. I am next, I am thinking and I am going straight but wait, the oil truck had still not moved. I will go as soon as he goes. Nope, there was not to be! Like Speedy Gonzales, there went the Infinity driver without a care in the world. What if the oil truck had moved? Imagine if I had gone straight as expected?! Yup, you not only drive for yourself but everyone else too because everyone is in a hurry. To where? I have no idea; perhaps, the traffic school?!

My Olympics, Your Olympics

Olympic Stadium

I love the Olympics and if I had my way, it would be held every year instead of every four years.

We watched the Olympics, enjoyed the events and couldn’t help but be at awe especially with Usain Bolt, the 100 meters record holder. I mean, this guy is a phenomenon. Who amongst us can say that we can run that fast. I certainly can’t. I take longer to put on my make up. I am trying to figure out what I can do in less then a minute. Do you have an idea? I certainly don’t!

We have to marvel, respect what these athletes do. I noticed during their interviews, regardless of what they did, sports they played, their gender, the countries they represented, that most of them at the some point talked about how much hard they had to work, how disciplined they had to be with their regiment, workouts, nutrition, sleep that without these elements, they could not achieve that level of performance or glory, they were incomplete.

Seriously, think about, all of us are athletes, Olympians in own rights. Let’s face it, like it or not, we are consistently competing in the Olympics of life. Who among us can positively say that we have never been through the university of life? It is one evolving game.

One can argue that what we do in our everyday lives, is a lot harder then what these athletes do in their everyday regiment. It is not easy to get through the loss of a loved one, an illness, live with terminal condition, bottle internal demons, deal with job lost, go through divorce and so on. To some individuals, not taking it away from the great athletes, it is harder to go through situations of life then it is to compete. Then again, who hasn’t? Think positive and it should be a breeze, right? At least we hope.

However, it isn’t so easy.

Just like they need a extraordinary discipline, strenuating and consistency with their work out; in order for us to attain the glory that we seek, the ecstasy, fulfillment, happiness which we will one day, we too will have to submit ourselves to a very rigorous regiment of life, get the needed nutrition, not calories or gym but turn sometimes to higher power, the Lord to give us the stability we seek. Some of us govern, exercise our lives, get the rewards and the glory we so deserve spiritually by turning to the Lord or just go by their merry way, hoping for the glory to come without being invited.

Those who attend the house of Lord, whatever your religion, are reminded of that overtime they hear the teaching in regards to life concerns.

It is through whatever your ideology that we are reminded that HE is the bread of life, the bread that gives us the combustive eternal glory we so desire but in order to attain that fuel, we need to allow ourselves to embraced HIS teachings.

Closing Ceremony

As humans, we often run into issues, get discouraged with the direction our lives are taking and believe our resources are just not enough to solve the headaches du’jour: our woes, struggles, weaknesses. Well, issues don’t dissipate, they don’t go away; maybe they will some day, if we are lucky, only after we are dead.

As long as we are alive, we are going to be challenged by something. Our problem is that none of us is going to escape the challenges and suffering that comes with being human. Granted, some will sometimes suffer and struggle more then the others but that only occurs when we over rely on our own strength, wisdom or vitality. However, the longer we live, the more we realize that our strength, smarts and energy are not enough to navigate the drills of life.

“I am done with this nonsense. Please, put me out of my misery”. Distraught words often spoken in times of complete misery but what we don’t realized is that often, we are never alone. The higher power is never far behind. HE is always with us. He never abandon us in our commitment, in our misery. He brings us his presence, understands us, our journey, our struggles, the glory, the nourishment that we seek. He is always available.

We earn our nourishment by appealing to higher power. Praying can be very subjective as some don’t see the use for it and others who do, asserts of it fulfilling their soul.

There are so many ways to pray. Some get the nourishment when they connect honestly to the Lord by sharing their joys, apprehensions, frustrations and doubts, as they believe it broads their horizons, revitalizes them, gives them a spark that they did not have previously. Others get their nourishment by sharing in community. This is how they appeal to higher power by offering their time for better causes.

Often living in the community does not come easy. It is a drag as we search for ways to accommodate, marry our personalities with those of others. We often find ourselves questioning the reasons for being, finding it alarming, crazy while in community of home and work. Yes, it can be but it is how we deal with it that makes us a whole.

We are at peace whenever we become aware that The Creator is driving the bus, he is present, working in the midst of whatever tension, challenges we maybe experiencing, joy we partake with one another, at home, at work, in general; we are fulfilled, stimulated by it.

We need to deepen our constant presence with those living around us. If we aware of what is going, we are able to energize ourselves and shake the craziness that surrounds our lives.

Just like the olympic athletes, all of us are also looking for that glory, and just like they need to prepare themselves to a strict discipline, we need to also do the same that our return will be even far greater. Even if you don’t believe in religion you must admit that the higher power, the Creator,  will bestow that glory upon us but we have to work at it. Just because we are confronted with one hurdle of life, it does not mean we have to kill ourselves over it. The storm shall pass. Look at it from the point of view of a book page. Turn it, next!

Then again, one can also argue that yes they are athletes, they are olympians but not super humans who are immune from the facts of life. They too go through the same. Perhaps, a double punch! Personally, I hit the gym when I experiencing headaches. So, does it make me an olympian?