STOP

Last December, I flew thousands of miles from home, to a place I've never been. I was away for 15 days – the longest my family and I have ever been apart. I did not worry about deadlines, domestic duties, traffic, gas prices or number coding.

For many years, I had gone full speed; accelerating to120 kph on demand. My battery was sputtering. I just had to step on the breaks and steer myself by the roadside. It was a break I took that allowed me to regain my equanimity – my "mental or emotional stability or composure, esp. under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium."

And so, I shifted my gear to "park". I went to a winery in winter; passed through valleys between rock formations; and gasped when snow fell on my collar. I laughed louder, stared longer, listened harder.

And now I'm back – recharged, refreshed, reloaded. The road behind had been rough, and so is the road ahead. Now I know there's wisdom in stop signs.

Carol