Have you ever been caught behind the slow-moving wall of people? You know the type. Five or six good chums, arms linked if preferred, ambling lazily down the sidewalk or hallway, without a care in the world for outside influence, whether that be hurried passers-by or beleaguered mothers with their seventeen children who simply want to get home. Doesn’t matter to these people. Their fun-filled, ever-so-important stories take precedence over the agreed-upon standard of “keep to the right.” Just a few moments ago, I was stuck behind this wall of people.
Is there time for stories and laughs and general merriment? Of course there is. But at the expense of the needs of others? Unlikely.
I find myself stuck behind the slow-moving wall of people in life. All my hopes and goals and dreams are just beyond these people, but they don’t care. They’re talking about the 10-season collection of Friends and heading to IHOP with friends and how much sleep they can get. They don’t care that I’m trying to reach past them to a strong relationship with our Creator and the completion of a novel and a step forward in ministry and a pile of books waiting to be read and people to meet and things to see.
Eventually you get past these people. There’s a bend in the sidewalk or the hallway widens. The problem is planning your route. Is there another wall of people ahead?
And so we go…
The Original Oxford Comma 
for me, sometimes the wall of people is a reminder to keep life simple and take it slow. on the time-space continuum of forever, i can trust that god’s not in a hurry and he’ll get me where i need to go if i stay focused on my own path and don’t get distracted by others on theirs. they may not know they’re path yet, so they aren’t in any hurry. or maybe they do know their path, and they trust better than i do. if i’m paying attention, i can smile and wave at the wall (even if i’m walking past them). perhaps they’re in my way, perhaps i’m really just in my own and using the wall as an excuse. perhaps, though, god just wants me to see them and love them and trust him for my own journey of discovery, one step at a time.
you’re such a good writer, joey. can’t wait for your novel, and for what’s on the other side of the wall. you’ll get there. you already are there. 😉
*their*, not *they’re*. oy vey.
I appreciate your kind words. It feels good to hear I am a good writer from a good writer.
I like your use of the wall. There are many people who need to slow down, stop barreling through others in the hallway, and take time out to enjoy life. This method only works, however, if you are a (wo)man of discipline, which is a quality I ashamedly admit I have little dealings with. MK, you certainly are a woman of discipline. You’re very busy. So, take a break. Watch Friends. Go to IHOP. Get some sleep. These are all good things. And while I can never abandon these good things completely (all good things come from God, aye?), I need a bit more discipline. I need to hinder myself from slowing down so much.
This seems to be a unique problem. This fast-paced world has no room for my slow ways. I just need to catch up. But I will, by the grace of God 🙂