SPEED KILLS - OR AT LEAST IT INJURES

BY STEVE DUNN

"Hurry sickness"

I do not know who first coined this expression, but I am familiar with it.  I have one of those professions where people always seem to be having crises, and they want to make it your emergency.

No matter how much I organize, prioritize, plan--and just say "no"; I find myself in those situations when I am rushing hither and you.  Often without my mind fully engaged.

Several weeks ago I was at the church in a meeting that went much longer than expected.  It was at the end of a day that began much earlier than expected and was too intense for downtime.  Needlessly to say, when the meeting adjourned; I left the building--quickly.

So quickly that I forgot to set out some traffic cones that were  needed to assure the safety of children who would be bussed the next day to the church for a released time program.  I actually remembered about 5:45 the next morning; just fifteen minutes before people start filling the parking lot where those cones needed to take up residence.

I jumped into my sweats and tennies, climbed into the car and dashed over to the church as quickly as the law and the traffic signals would permit.  I was in such a hurry that I did not turn on the lights in the church and as I was heading towards the parking lot, I stepped off a step outside my office, fell sideways and then bent my ankle. Bent is a tame description.  Folded it over, mashed it down with my full body weight as I rolled over it--and then twisted it the whole mess.

The pain was excruciating.  Nothing was fractured, just badly bruised; but now, nearly two and a half weeks later, it hurts. Last week it hurt like hell. This week it just hurts like New Jersey.  (Sorry, friends. I was just watching a news story about a problem in the Garden State).

The doctor tells me I have at least another week of an air cast and babying it.  If nothing gets better next week, therapy will be prescribed.

Adding insult to injury, I am headed to Hilton Head for some vacation time.  Walking the beach will not be on the agenda.

I have now slowed down for several weeks.  I am sick of it.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 tells us: " Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind."

Speed blows right through tranquility.  Being in a hurry is often like chasing after the wind.  And all together, it robs life of our peace, especially when we are forced to slow down and all we can think about is what is left undone.

I guess I need to thank God for this lesson.  If I heed  it, it's character building.  If not, I'll tumble again.  I suspect the next tumble, I'll break something - and that WILL slow me down and WILL hurt.

(C) 2013 by Stephen L Dunn