Stuck in Traffic

The two seasons we commonly experience on Minnesota roadways are winter and construction. Winter season has snow, wind and ice, whereas the construction season has hundreds of orange cones to safely navigate around. Both seasons have specific signs to remind us to slow down.

During either season, we may get stuck in traffic. It may be only for a few blocks, or it could be several miles. I think we can all picture the image from our own driving experiences. As I inch along in a traffic jam during either season, I have the choice to make the best of it or get frustrated. I am simply stuck with all the other vehicles.

I do become uneasy when another driver follows too close to me. I think to myself, “Really, can you not see I am stuck in the same traffic you are?” This thought is usually followed by a prayer, first for the driver practically on my bumper, concluding with, “I hope we will be a back to a normal speed real soon.”

During the summer road construction, I may take a side road, enriching the drive with the beauty around me rather than bumper to bumper cars on the freeway. In taking a side road, I find the drive to be more peaceful.

Saint Benedict urges us to pray throughout the day. What better place to pray than when stuck in a traffic jam?

If you would like more information about our common journey, please contact Sister Lisa Rose, director of vocation ministry, at lrose@csbsju.edu.

Lisa Rose, OSB

Photo by Koushik Pal on Unsplash