Hurry Up and Slow Down
Written by Wanda Rodriguez
Written on April 7, 2025
Published on April 9, 2025
Do you ever have those days when you just can’t get anywhere fast enough? Whether you leave on time or a few minutes later than planned, hoping to make up time on the way, things just don’t come together as you had hoped. You can’t find your keys. You forgot that you had to stop for gas. The dog needs to go out and is just lollygagging, clearly not sharing your sense of urgency. You seemingly hit every red light imaginable. You get stuck in the slow lane. You can’t get over to the faster lane. You get trapped behind the slowest car possible. You manage to get past the slowest car possible only to be suddenly faced with the new slowest car possible. You finally get in the fast moving lane only to discover it is now the painfully slow lane. There’s a visible police car either in front of or behind the cluster of cars, causing all traffic flow to instantly drop. There’s an accident or construction ahead. There are hidden police cars waiting to pounce (thank you Waze for the heads up!). Your destination is in sight but the car ahead of you apparently forgot how to park and can’t seem to master their 20 point parking maneuver, or they are backing into a space (ugh!!), or BOTH!!! (Cringe!!) I could continue but, you get the idea. I’m pretty sure we have all been there! (some … me… more often than others!! Hah!)
Sometimes I just let it roll and try to have the attitude of when I get there, I get there. Then again, sometimes I am working with a more flexible timeline so it’s okay to have this easy-breezy approach. I grew up with a dad whose philosophy was, if you aren’t early - you’re late! No doubt I was his burden to bear (in more ways than one!!!) because, try as I may, I was more often than not of the, if it hasn’t started yet, we've still got time, mindset. I drove him bonkers! I drove everyone bonkers actually! Don’t worry though, karma is real and my daughters, in turn, all drove me bonkers with their inability to tell time. (haha) One of them refers to it as time blindness and that resonates with me. I don’t know about you but I usually wake up significantly earlier than needed so that I can get things done without being rushed, pressured or distracted. Honestly though, it doesn’t matter much if I get up ten minutes or three hours before it is time to roll, there’s still a better than average chance I’m going to be late. I find that I am always trying to squeeze in one more thing and before I can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” I’m behind the 8-ball yet again! Generally, I manage my time better when the schedule is tighter but the process and outcome are typically about the same, rushed!
Such was the case this past Sunday on the way to church. My goal is to get there BEFORE the music starts but it has yet to happen! I’m new to this church but I have been several times over the past few months and I have no real excuse! I always scamper in during worship or announcements. Last Sunday I was determined to get there prior to the start, which should be completely achievable as church starts at 10:30AM and I am usually up by 6:00AM. Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy, right!?!? Wrong!!!!
Pretty much every obstacle mentioned, plus a few others, was part of my morning journey. Each and every one of them! Even down to following the aforementioned slowest car imaginable into the parking lot. I didn’t know whether to scream or to cry. I was starting to wonder if I was even meant to go to church that morning!! (Duh! Of course I was! Get out of my head, Satan!) Things started to come into focus as I (we - me and the painfully slow car) turned into the parking lot. I felt a sudden peace and calm that basically said to me, it’s okay, you get there when you get there. I felt a relaxed feeling wash over me and I could almost hear myself, as I have said so many times when in the car with others who are growing impatient with circumstances on the road, saying things like: let it go; don’t worry about it; let it roll; and it’s all good, etc. The title came through loud and clear in my mind, Hurry up and Slow Down. It makes sense. I think God would rather us get to where we are going safely and in one piece over being rushed, anxious and perhaps more careless. This is true not just while driving but also in every aspect of our lives. Slow down. Look around. Take it all in. Take time in your prayers and your time with God, to really absorb what is being said or read. Don’t hastily rush through so that you can get onto the next thing. Make it count. Stop going through the motions! Precious time with your family and loved ones. Your down time. Your busy time. Make it count as those moments are finite, try not to spend them rushing or stressed.
I would like to end this by saying that, despite all the aforementioned obstacles, I made it to church on time, before the music and the announcements. As it turns out, God frowns upon lying, sooooo ... fingers crossed for next week!!! While we wait to see how that turns out, remember to take the time to hurry up and slow down! Live in the moment, take nothing for granted and draw in all around you. There’s no time like the present! Thank you for joining me today in my journey.
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