The Need for Speed in Life
- Chibuzo Nwankwo
- Jun 27, 2018
- 2 min read
As I recall back to the time I first began to drive, the one thing I got points knocked off of my on-road exam was "speeding."
Personally speaking, I thought I was driving the speed limit or at least within the speed limit. I guess the driving inspector thought differently. Nevertheless, I passed and it was almost like a right to passage or the start of a new journey.
Fast-forward to now and I still have that 2007 Hyundai Elantra; a much older car. It isn't optimal for speed, and anytime I drive above 65, it shakes and I get a free massage. Even when I do reach speeds upwards of 75, I still feel like I'm driving super duper slow.
Better yet, you see cars and the occasional tractor-trailer zipping down the highways, and you become ever more aware of how "fast" you're driving, thinking of what it would be like to drive a fast car and the freedom one must feel.
I believe this is a great parallel to the moments in life we wish we could speed up, as we seamlessly see others flying through life and everything effortlessly clicking for them.
However, one must recognize that speeding has it's limitations as well. For starters, you completely miss the fine details. Think about it; you don't ever take time to see that billboard or the clouds when you speed; rather, you are focused on looking for the gaps between cars. I pose this question: does one ever really take the time to enjoy life when all they care about is reaching that next destination or the next rung on the ladder?
Inevitably, if not careful, one could find themselves missing that crucial exit or worse, an accident. Sometimes life has us taking an exit to refuel, rest, or take a brief pause; but when we miss out on those moments, we only ever realize we need to slow down and re-route ourselves on this journey we call life.
"The years will teach you what
the days will never know"
It's okay to be in the slow seasons of life, so long as you are moving. Stopping, especially on the highway, will only put yourself in harms way. And before you know it, your momentum to finish will die down. Even when you feel stuck, take the time to think, but don't let that stop you from continuing in pace.
On the flip side, as you drive towards the destination your road leads to, keep your eyes on your own lane. Sure you want to be the person in the fast lane or the fast car, but looking at the success of another only distracts you from the success that lies in front of you. And besides, we didn't see the many dark corners they had to navigate to reach the freeway, let alone their first car.
Finally, I finish with TWO POINTS: 1) Continuous movement is still movement, whether it is fast or slow; and 2) "The years will teach you what the days will never know" - only time will tell of how far you've truly come.
Be encouraged and stay steadfast!
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