Posts by Pat:
Your “yellow light” policy?
A number of years ago when I was riding as a passenger with my middle sister, the traffic light went from green to yellow. She gunned the engine and I let out a yelp.
To me, a yellow light meant slow down and prepare to stop.
To her, a yellow light meant speed up and make-it-through-the-intersection before you have to stop.
We both recognized yellow lights as a warning. But this warning triggered very different responses from each of us!
This came to my mind recently as I had just read Matthew McConaughey’s 2020 book, Greenlights. He wrote about how we all want to enjoy a state of success he calls “catching greenlights” and about his experience in realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.
When we approach an intersection and the light is green or red, we really don’t give it much more thought than continuing or stopping.
But when we see the light turn yellow, we are forced to make a decision. Do we continue on or come to a stop? And we don’t have a lot of time to decide so we react.
My sister and I experienced yellow lights differently, and I think of those yellow lights as a metaphor for our lives!
In life I have found that those yellow lights come in the form of major decisions, crises, life transitions, and unforeseen life obstacles. There are intersections in life that we’re not sure whether we should stop at, push through, or judge in the moment.
Yellow lights are how life calls our attention. And the choices we make in those moments can significantly change the course of our lives.
So do you have a “yellow light” policy? Have you predetermined that you’re going to:
- Always stop
- Play it by eye
- Always push through
Maybe it’s time to stomp on the accelerator, to go for it with confidence and verve.
Or maybe it’s time to take your foot off the accelerator, to slow down and be still.
Where have the yellow lights flashed in your life?
And did you put your foot on or off the gas pedal?
Legend of the “Three Sisters”
If you are familiar with companion planting, you’ll likely have heard the legend of the Three Sisters garden. This is a traditional Native American method for growing food in a resourceful way. It’s been used for many hundreds of years and is based on the idea that each plant has something vital to offer the […]
Are we lazy or just efficient?
If you look inside a beehive you’ll notice row and row of almost identical hexagons. It could be because the hexagon is a robust structure, but there’s something more than that at play. Nature is always trying to use the least amount of energy. The Canadian Honey Council has calculated that the wax that is […]
Remember Mr. Rogers?
Are any of you old enough to remember the TV program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? Or maybe the 2019 movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood with Tom Hanks? With each episode Mr. Rogers began by changing into one of his trademark cardigan sweaters and changing into his sneakers while singing the show’s theme song, “Won’t […]
“Mother, May I?”
Remember the childhood game of “Mother, May I?” When given an instruction by ‘mother’ we needed to remember to ask permission before taking those 2 giant steps forward. In addition to my being an ex-English teacher and this also being the month of May, I’ve found myself wondering about that word “may.” How does it […]
Oh no..a 2nd Mother Goose gem?!
Joe Scieszka did it again in his The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense! (This time with the rhyme of Old Mother Hubbard.) The English teacher in me loves this “re-verb” version! See what YOU can add to these verbs… Old Mother Hubbard moseyed/ progressed/ skipped/ highttailed it/ took a hike to […]
A unique book report!
English teachers get a lot of book reports to read… such as the following “book report” from the 2022 book The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense by Jon Scieszka! Do you remember this old nursery rhyme? Book Report: “The main character in this nursery rhyme is Jack. There is also a […]
Ridiculous headlines?
Does anyone other than an ex-English teacher notice these kinds of things? I’ve often wondered who proofreads the headlines, or even the content on some of the articles in the newspaper. On the other hand, I do find many of them funny and some even make me feel superior! “Red tape holds up new bridges” […]
If you start today…
I read an interesting reminder that I thought I’d share with you today: If you start today, you’ll feel good today. When someday becomes today, we get a rush of accomplishment and pride. Doing feels good. Way better than thinking about doing. If you start today, you’ll be the kind of person who does things. […]
Trust Mother Nature!
Story: There was a man who had a hen and a dozen good eggs, and he wanted to raise some chickens. Somehow or other he had to get the hen and the eggs together. Now the hen was willing, and he was willing, but if he kept the hen in the yard and the eggs […]