Brenda’s Blog – June 19, 2018
“Physics always wins”
My friend Steve is a professional trucker. I bragged to him I make a point of driving courteously around trucks. “I never pull in front of them on a down-hill grade.” His automatic response was “that’s good because physics always win.” He was telling me that thousands of pounds moving downhill cannot be stopped on a dime because a foolish auto driver decides to pass and pull back in quickly.
Laws of nature apply to all areas of life. There are consequences to our choices. Assuming we can beat the odds is short term thinking. “What you sow, you will reap” is a way of putting it. If we jump out of a plane without a parachute, we will crash… physics wins. Gravity is always the victor.
Another lesson is resistance. Most 18 wheelers have a cab with a wind reduction configuration. The rounded appendage allows the wind to go up and over, decreasing resistance and increasing performance. We need to have strategies to overcome emotional resistance in our lives. What can we do to defeat depression, loss of direction? How can we come back from bad decisions, or moral failures? We need winds of turmoil resistance structures in our lives. We need to build in scripture, Christian friends, good books, and music among other elements which will build up our resistance. We need to establish go-to habits which will cause the attacks of the spiritual winds to pass on over and not cause drag.
Most trucks have lettered signs like 1: “If you can’t see my mirror, I can’t see you.” 2) “This truck makes wide right turns.” These informational warnings help you avoid trouble. They also let you know the driver is aware of his truck. When we really know ourselves we can help others do well around us. Each of us has constructive strengths and destructive weaknesses. When we discover these, we can enable others to “drive safely” on the road with us.
I grumble at them as they rumble by me on the interstates, but I also pray for them for I know they are people working hard to support their families. I laugh when I hear their shower number called for a shower in a Pilot station, but also cheer for them to safely deliver goods across the country. They teach me about perseverance, professionalism, and grit. I will try to give them a wide berth and be a courteous driver as I share the road with them.