What the Meditation Light Taught Me!

I was giving directions to my university the other day to a friend. "Take a left at the top of the exit ramp, go across the bridge and then turn left at the meditation stoplight..." "Wait a minute", my friend interrupted, "What is the meditation stoplight?"

I quickly realized that I had used my pet name for the extra long stoplight that I wait at everyday. I also realized that some further explanation was needed...

When I first began to commute to Winston-Salem, I explored the fastest, smoothest routes to work. And the route that I just described is the fastest route, except for the annoyingly long left turn light at Reynolds Blvd. When it does turn green, only a few cars make it through before it changes again. If you are five cars back, you can count on two cycles before you will be on your way. And the cycles allow each other set of traffic to proceed in turn - a process much like watching paint dry. Couple that with impatience to get to work and it quickly became the bane of my morning. So one day, I decided to take the other way around. I quickly whipped over into the other lane (oops, car in that lane probably had to brake a bit), gunned it on down to the stop sign, did a quick rolling stop (hmmm, that car probably had to slow down when I cut in front of him), gunned it a bit more and reached the stop light ahead that was turning orange. I did a quick right onto Reynolds Blvd just as the light turned red. Score! I had managed to turn in front of the car that I had once been behind at the previous slow, slow light. And after the brief adrenaline rush subsided, I thought "Have you lost your mind?" Sure, I had managed to avoid the wait, by driving aggressively, cutting in front of people, and short cutting the stops - all behaviors I deplored and would have never believed worth the risk. This was one of those times I needed to have a serious talk with myself. The really crazy thing is that, years before, I had described in a workshop how I used the string of stoplights on the way to my previous office as a sort of "stoplight rosary" where I focused on a meditation or positive thought at each one, rather than sit there gunning for a jack rabbit start or speeding up to try and beat the lights. I described how that attitude had really made a difference in my day, and probably helped me avoid being "an accident waiting to happen." Colleagues had even told me years later how much that idea had meant to them. And here I was, totally ignoring my previous counsel, creating chaos and certainly endangering myself and others.

So, I began to practice what I preached. Now, when I head across the bridge and get into the line at the meditation stoplight, I use that time to say a prayer for my day, to remember any I know who need a blessing, or just to take a few deep, centering breaths. I noticed that if I am pretty far back in line (guaranteed to take two lights), I can look to the right through the trees and see Sauratown Mountain. The granite sides glisten in the early morning sun and it is such a majestic sight. I can then proceed on through, calm and grateful, rather than impatient and annoyed.

So what ways have you learned to rethink encumbrances, put a positive spin on obstacles or "practice what you preach?"