When the World Spins 'Round

Cars are whizzing past. I've promised myself not to speed so I just pull over to the right as trucks and cars move by at an accelerated rate.

The urge to keep pace is tapping at the corner of my brain but taking the world at my own rhythm is satisfying too.

I'm headed South and it's twilight. As I drive, I can see the ocean and the military tents that are set up along the coast. Hmmm, must be some sort of exercise.

The intro of Brian Johnson's Philosopher's Notes is playing and I listen as a woman talks about losing her husband 3 years ago and focusing on learning from the Philosopher's Notes to work through her grief and get unstuck. Brian replies. I can't quote it word for word but here's a paraphrase.

Think about when you were a child and you spun and spun and spun until you fell down. Now, think about when you spun and looked around the room you felt sick and you couldn't get your balance.

Try this, spin and spin around and then stick your hand in front of your face and stare at your finger tips. If you focus on them you no longer feel sick and having that focus allows you to regain your balance so much more quickly. When the world spins around and you feel out of control you just need to find something to focus on so you can regain your balance quickly. If you don't -- you feel sick, you fall down, etc.

The sky has turned a grey blue and the sun has set. I drive in the slow lane past truck weigh stations and lagoons and way sides and scenic views. And I think - sometimes we like it when the world spins. We start the spin and we spin and spin and spin and laugh when it ends.

Sometimes without our permission, our world is spun for us -- and it throws us because we weren't ready. And sometimes it's just spinning too fast and we need a moment to slow down. To focus. To regain our balance.

A CHP car zips by. Lights flashing. I continue on watching it from behind as it becomes smaller and smaller chasing the sports car that had zipped by before it.

Sometimes, No. Most of the time - going at your own pace is pays off - despite what everyone else doing or saying or what we see around us. It's just nice to have a reminder. I smile and let the world spin on.