My altared space today is about stopping. My photographer friend Jim Cox sent me this photo of the stop sign at the end of his rural road. Obviously the sunflowers didn’t read the sign. They kept on growing.
Or maybe they are there, lending their yellow to the red because that is where people stop and they want to be noticed; much like smelling the roses.
In my childhood town there was a 2-way stop sign that eventually got converted to a 4-way stop. The people on Balsam Street were accustomed to sailing right on through that intersection. It was amazingly difficult for them to learn to stop and give the 19th Street traffic a chance to go; a forced Kindergarten lesson in taking turns.
A cop sat there day after day writing tickets with abandon as car after car whizzed through, without bothering to touch their brakes. It took about 3 months. Then the officer must have slowed the ticket writing to the point that it no longer paid to park there.
I was at that intersection recently, fifth in a line of cars. The turn taking was seamless. 19th Street cars entered the intersection and, when they were about midway, a Balsam Street car would trudge on out into the thoroughfare. On and on it went, far smoother than a traffic light and far more polite.
There was no one speeding through the intersection to catch the yellow light before it turned yellow. Everyone made eye contact silently signaling your turn. People in cars acknowledged other drivers and it wasn’t with a middle finger.
Who knew a stop sign could be so transformative?
To go from a group of people who didn’t even see the sign; wouldn’t even touch their brakes; to folks who kindly acknowledged strangers behind other steering wheels and nodded your turn. It was an anthropologic miracle of mini proportion.
So I look at this bold red sign with these wild sunflowers meandering their way across the S and the P and I wonder, how many months would the cop of my conscience have to sit writing tickets for me to see stop signs as a chance to pause and give another their turn?
Rather than a nuisance or something to slow me down, maybe a stop sign is a chance for me to see what’s blooming in a new intersection of life.
What makes you stop and notice the person in the next car? Is it ever a challenge for you to see the new stop signs in life? Are you smitten with the combination of yellow and red? Where have flowers bloomed in surprising places in your life?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
We have a lot of 4-way stops in our town, and I think it’s the only time when I atcually look at other people in cars. I usually try not to look over at people, for some reason?
I saw a flower blooming out of a crack in the sidewalk the other day; it made me smile and think of fortitude.
KitchenWitch,
What a great word: fortitude. That’s what it takes to grow in the cracks of life.
Yellow is my favorite color. I always notice it, or I think I do. And I love the idea of making the most of directives we obey instinctively or by rote. It’s like finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, the tiny miracle in everyday life. I’ll be on the lookout now.
No new stop signs in my neck of the woods. When driving neighborhoods, I take my time at stops (lots of walkers, dogs, kids). That’s when I look at the other drivers. Especially in nice weather, with tops down!
I took a road trip many years ago, partway across the country. One of the things that surprised me was wildflowers along the highway. All that concrete, all that speed, and miles and miles of bright blooms. I never forgot that.
Some days I am much better at slowing down and noticing and appreciating than others. Loved this.
When it comes to driving, I’ve always been the slow one, usually aggravating all those drivers in a rush. However, there are other times when I need reminders to stop or slow down… I can get caught up with work or some project that I’m anxious to get done, and neglect my family. I need to stop and take heed of what’s most important in life.
As for finding flowers in surprising places, I just blogged about this myself yesterday! See: http://singleagainonlinediary.blogspot.com/2010/07/most-unusual-garden-in-denver.html
Rebecca, you constantly amaze, how I can send you a photo, and you come forth with this wonderful story and insight…will be sending more photos!
Oh my goodness, the symbolism here is so incredible. I LOVE the sunflowers with the stop sign. A perfect reminder to stop and smell the roses, enjoy the beauty around you, pause and breathe!
I try to leave myself enough time when I’m going somewhere so I can enjoy the walk or the drive without stressing about being late. I can take the 30 seconds waiting at a red light to just watch the people crossing the street instead of impatiently willing the light to change.
boom chica wowow
Thanks for directing me to this post. (You’re like my blogging crossing guard. I can picture you holding the little lollipop Stop sign.)
In my own life, the Stop signs are the moments when I realize I’m no longer having fun. I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t waste time doing things I didn’t love, and that included work. I’ve been true to that for decades. When the fun ends, it’s time to heed the Stop sign and re-evaluate. Hey, time changes us. We aren’t who we were at the beginning of the journey. Passions change, skills change–why force yourself to fit into a situation that is no longer “you.” And what better reminder of this is there than a wildflower-covered Stop sign. Love it!
Beautiful story – thanks for the inspiration today.
My “stop” – I spend a few moments every evening asking myself two questions:
1. did I offer help to someone today?
2. did I ask for help from someone today?
So many people want to be the person who does #1, but we all need to also be the person in #2 to make connections.
WorkingTechMom,
I’m marching out tomorrow and asking for help…just to be helpful.