by Esther Terrell

Created on: September 06, 2008

Two Minutes

It starts as a regular morning. The alarm goes off and if you are like me you try to squeeze out one more minute of sleep that can pass off for ten minutes. Now you leap out of bed, grab a shower, brush your teeth, and change into your clothes hoping that maybe you will have a couple minutes to smear on some mascara and a little lipstick, run a brush through your hair and head for the door hoping that you can hit the time clock before your late!

I have friends who do what you see on the old television shows. Wake up eat breakfast, read the newspaper, and get dressed like a sane person instead of the crazy lady I am or should I say lazy lady I am. How much sleep do I get from dozing anyway? Really!

This is the beginning of the end. On a routine morning I see most pushing the limits with the driving, sometimes to include myself. Some aren't too polite and in a rush might display some road rage, trying to beat the light, cutting in front of others. Then park the car and dash for the door, hit the floor rushing toward the time clockwhewmade it!

Now, shift to another scene. Teens grabbing a shower, shave, choke down a fast breakfast, head for the door and hopefully remembered to grab the lock. Hop in the seat, turn the key, gun the engine, and tear around the cornergot to get to school before the bell rings.

Same route every morning Trucker has to make a living. Pushing the limit, heavy load, and rainy wet streetshe's going to beat the light! Teen driver has the green coming off the ramp onto the highway toward school; he has the right of way. Classmates behind him, beside him, in front of him; why this one? God saw a flower and had to pick it?

Sometimes I just don't understand the justice of it all either. Here was a kid headed for school, involved in the band at school and church, he was a good student, admired by his peers and adults, was a leader not just in his school, but involved in his church because he wanted to be. He was a young person on the brink of manhood who would have contributed to his community and country and it's suddenly senselessly snuffed out because someone wanted to beat two minutes. How often do you pick up the newspaper and read about a good person like this? Most often you read about the shootings and bank robberies, rapes, muggings, and every other sort of vile antics and those humans are still walking our streets. I guess there's something they are supposed to be learning? But sometimes it seems they out number the good ones.

I think I should start with being better at getting up on time and leaving on time so that I won't have to beat any lights, but rather take my time and reflect on the sunrise and how God has blessed me. The next time I stop at a red light, I need to use those two minutes to reflect, be thankful, pray and if I changed just me, maybe I can make a two minute difference to someone I talk to throughout the day. I work for a large company and see a lot of people. They say that what goes around comes around.

All these lives are forever changed because we don't slow down for two minutes. I now tell my son, don't rush itI'd rather you were two minutes late than not getting there ever. Watch for the other driver, because you have the right of way, doesn't make it so. It's not worth beating that light. My son was the driver that went through the green light two minutes earlierif could have been him instead of his classmate and friend.

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