A Limited Understanding

This is not the first time it's happened.

And what frustrates me the most about it, is that it happens at the WORST possible time!

The other day, I had a smarillion things to do. And like most people, I was trying to save myself some time and go a little over the speed limit.

Okay, maybe a lot over the speed limit.

However, it wasn't long before I found myself "stuck" behind someone who was actually obeying the law and not speeding.

"COME ON!" I threw my head back and wailed, "I HAVE PLACES TO SEE AND PEOPLE TO GO!"

This 'people' wasn't 'going', though. At least not over 55 miles an hour.

"AUGH!" I groaned. It felt as if my van had just stopped in the middle of the road. Like there had been some sort of Star Trek time/space continuum thing...and I was frozen on Ridge Road. Unable to move ahead. 'Quick, Scotty,' I thought, 'Beam me up and over this slowpoke so I can get to where I have to be!'

Finally, after seventeen years, three months, two weeks, nine days, fourteen hours, twenty-two minutes and five seconds...I was able to pass this person safely.

As I drive by, this gal smiles at me and waves.

I do not wave back. She is oblivious to the torment that she has caused me. I have a lot to do! Doesn't she understand that there are only 24 hours in the day and I've already used up EIGHT of them! The items on my To Do list are barely checked off! I'm behind schedule! I don't have time to wave! Besides, my cell phone is ringing...!

What a day that was! I was frazzled that entire time. Trying to get things checked off, adding more things to the list, pushing myself to do more.

But someone was trying to tell me something that day...

As I passed that gal on the highway, I saw a speed limit sign fly by.

At the grocery store, I was going to stock up on shredded Cheddar Cheese and grabbed five packages. Then I saw the "Limit Three per Customer" sign and had to put two packages back.

At the mall, The Limited was having a sale. On tanks, not cheese.

Later, while watching t.v., I saw that a cable channel was running an Outer Limits marathon. Then a commercial came on and told me that I could buy this amazing item that was being offered at this amazing price 'for a limited time only'.

And finally, when I was breaking up yet another argument between my children over whose turn it was to be on the Playstation, I heard myself saying, "That's it! I have reached my limit! I'm tired of the arguing! Now give me the guitar and I'LL be the Hero!"

And that's when it hit me.

I have limitations. Limits.

The word 'limit' is often looked at as a 'bad' thing. We want to buy more, drive faster, spend fifteen hours on the Playstation wailing on that Aerosmith song.

Okay, maybe only I do those things. What I'm realizing though, is that limits aren't bad. They can actually be very healthy. We can't do it all. We need to have boundaries. Too much of a good thing is indeed, too much! Setting boundaries on our time, money and items is not a bad thing! By staying within a boundary, for instance, I still get what I need. I get enough. Not too much.

Think about that, my friends, while I set my timer for fifteen minutes of Guitar Hero. That's my new limit! Thanks for reading!