Hurry Up!

I can’t believe I’m about to type this . . . or that this is even my reality . . . but my daughter will be taking drivers ed this summer . I know, I know. I’m simply not old enough to have an offspring ready to handle a 2 ton vehicle. Unfortunately, though, I am and I do.

I was sharing that disbelief with a friend recently who has a son in the same boat. She asked if I had gone to the DMV to get her eyes checked yet. My response was that we’d simply do that when we take her in to actually take the permit test. “Oh, no,” she said. “State law says that we have to have their eyes checked at the DMV before they can pass drivers ed.” Um, what? We just had her eyes checked at the ophthalmologist office. Does that count? Of course it doesn’t. Wait, so I have to wait in line at the DMV with half of the population of my town just to have her eyes checked? Then I get to wait again, after drivers ed, for her to take her permit test? Yes. That is correct.

I thought of that scenario as I read this blog post from Craig Jutila (see #2 on his list).  I am the queen of (HURRY UP!). I have little to no patience most of the time because I’ve gotten so used to scurrying about on almost every level of my life. Waiting anywhere – the DMV, grocery store, in traffic – makes me crazy.  Craig’s post doesn’t really tell me how to be more patient, but I love that piece of scripture. I do need to stop. I do need to breathe. I actually do breathing techniques in the car when I’m in traffic. I remind myself that getting frustrated is not going to speed my situation up any. And, I need to be a better example for my kids!

So, this DMV thing. I’ve decided to take her to get her eyes checked like a good little mommy. And, I will make it a mother/daughter date day so we can plan to do girl stuff after! I’m determined to have a better attitude about things like that. Hopefully if I have a better attitude then it will rub off on my kids. I just have to get rid of the “hurry up” mantra and adopt a “slow down and relax” mantra. I know what you are thinking – “good luck with that!” I know it will be hard, but if I do it for one thing and see the positive result things just have to keep getting better from there, right?

Here’s to slowing down <cheers!>! Want to try to slow down with me?