One of my favorite vacation memories involved a near-death experience. My nephew Brian was driving us on the two-lane Queen’s (not exactly a) Highway that circumnavigates the Fijian island of Viti Levu. Our Toyota Kjang (Isn’t that a great name?) approached a lumbering truck in our lane. Brian put on his left turn signal, crossed the double lines into the oncoming traffic lane and forged ahead.
His passengers – parents and two aunts and uncles -- screamed in fear as a car approached us head on. Brian smoothly pulled back into his legal lane ahead of the truck. As we challenged him with drivers’ education facts he calmly replied, “The rules are different in Fiji: the double lines are just a suggestion.”
The double lines are just a suggestion.
That line has stayed with me like a mantra since that day I’m jealous that Brian has pretty much followed that philosophy in his life, and quite happily so, God bless him.
And while I don’t subscribe to Brian’s view on crowded highways, he makes a good point about risk. It’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed about getting older. Those double lines really start to blur. You question how you spend your time and who you spend it with. It sounds like selfishness but it's different, more honest, You'll know what I mean when you get there.
How did Brian come to know this at such a young age? Maybe living in Fiji for a few years after college really did form his world view. Spending just a little over a week there certainly made an impact on me.
What double lines have you been happy to cross? Do you feel a little guilty about it or are you unabashed in your rebel ways? What gave you the courage to pass the lumbering trucks in your life?
Chris, I absolutely love "the double lines are just a suggestion"
ReplyDeleteAs a Human Resouces professional, I've written many "rules" over the years. At home years ago, when I did something contrary to the "rules" Jim challenged me, I quipped, "Hey, I write the rules, I can change them." It's been one of our private jokes over the years. Still, I could benefit from more frequently treating the rules as just suggestions!
Chris- I love that saying and I think it is an important life lesson. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteRamona,
DeleteGlad to share it with kindred spirits.
I think all three of my children have been long time proponents of that philosophy, especially as teenagers! Now As adults, I hope it serves them well. I already have the white hair, so .....
ReplyDeleteKathleen,
DeleteIt will be fun for you when their children challenge the rules. Chris
What, the double lines are not JUST a suggestion??? I love this!!!
ReplyDeleteLove this. I totally agree the lines become blurred as you get older. I often wonder why I was so determined to colour inside them for so many years!
ReplyDeleteWe do learn to relax the rules eventually. I guess that's wisdom.
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