Drive Safely!

I remember loving cars when I was little because of the dashboard.  I loved all the little gauges with the needles that pointed out one measure or another.  I wondered what they measured and I liked to watch them move.  It took me a while to understand the tachometer.  I didn't quite comprehend how the engine speed could differ from the car's speed.  I was also intrigued by the "red zone" on the tach.  That was the engine's danger zone!

These days, I keep my eyes on the gauges in my truck to make sure my car doesn't over heat and everything is running well.  I'd prefer not to break down on the side of the road!

I was chatting with a co-worker a few days ago and he told me that he was hurrying home from work and there was a Sunday driver in the left lane with a line of cars backed up behind him and an empty lane ahead.  He was traveling 15 miles an hour under the speed limit and gradually getting slower and slower.  He said, "The slower he went, the higher my road rage gauge climbed!"

That got me thinking...we all have personal gauges for a variety of things.  We all have measures that go up and down depending on our circumstances.  Theses gauges may be more or less sensitive to certain issues than other folks.  For example, your road rage gauge may not budge when you encounter a slow driver in the left lane.  But, maybe you get cranky when that same driver throws his cigarette out of his window.  That may make your litterbug gauge jump to eleven!  I think these personal differences are somewhat based on your own personal wiring.

 I know there are tons of inventories out there to help get in touch with our personalities, our internal wires.  I think those inventories can be quite helpful for people to get to know themselves.  I have done several of them and I know that I am a learner, I am orange (True Colors), and I like to ask questions.  I also know that I need to be more patient and I need to be a bit more organized.

However, those inventories provide a snapshot.  A somewhat static, overall measure.  Realistically, many of the traits on our personal dashboards are more like the gauges in our cars.  They change constantly due to other factors.  How often do we monitor our personal gauges?  Do we know when we are about to hit the "red zone?"  Do we monitor our dashboard to make sure we don't break down on the side of the road?

Drive safely, my friends!