Pause for Prayer: SATURDAY 6/1

Yesterday, Lord, 
   I was driving from West Concord to Concord,
      a quick two miles on a beautiful tree lined route...

Of a sudden, the traffic slowed - and my temper rose.
I wasn't really in a hurry but my progress was impeded
   and that just pissed me off...

I looked ahead and saw the cause:
  a pedestrian, inching her way across the road...

She appeared to be young and looked quite healthy...

I didn't understand.
I jumped to conclusions.
And my temper rose a few degrees higher 
      on a 90º afternoon.

Finally she reached the other side
   and traffic began to move once again...

As I passed by her I saw what was going on:
   she had walked a great and ancient turtle
      safely across the road, inch by inch...

Her tender care had stopped traffic, 
   stopped me,
      and for a moment, stopped my world...

Humbled by a turtle 
   and a turtle's faithful friend...

Slow me down, Lord, slow me down...

How often am I angry and demanding
   when I haven't a clue 
      as to what the problem might be?

How often am I impatient
   with someone helping someone
      who cannot help himself?

How often do I fuss and fume
   when I realize, even for a moment,
      I'm not the king of any road?

Slow me down, Lord, 
   and if you would, some day,
give me a chance to walk an ancient turtle
   across the speedway of my hurried, selfish life...

Put some patience in my heart, Lord,

   some turtles on my path

      and some folks whose kindness teaches me

         how to cross a street...

Amen.

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