There are times when it’s necessary to put on the brakes, but more often it’s better to be aware and adjust your speed. You don’t always have to brake. 

I drive behind so many people who put on their brakes going down a hill, with no one in front of them, and not going faster than the speed limit. They just like to put on their brakes.

Maybe they like to test their brakes to see if they’ll work in an emergency. 

To be honest, we don’t need to brake as much as we need to be aware of our surroundings.

When I mountain bike, I try to use my brakes as little as possible. Every time you touch the brakes, you lose some momentum. 

It’s not exactly the same in a car, but still we should look first before we brake. Many people brake before they look … or just hit the brakes because they haven’t in the last thirty seconds.

What really bugs me is the bumper sticker I’ve seen lately while driving around my city. I saw two cars in front of me the other day, both with that same sticker. It read “I brake for turtles”.

There may be many things you should or could do when you see a turtle on the road, but braking is not one of them.

Turtles don’t move very fast. It’s easy to gauge where they will be when your wheels go by them. You can move slightly in the lane to make sure they come between you tires.  

Please don’t brake. You’re more likely to cause an accident if you do, and then you might skid or be pushed by another car right into the turtle, squashing him in the middle of the road. 

I like turtles. We owned a turtle for about seven years. 

I remember when we got Winston, the water filter was so powerful it would literally push him around the tank, despite his desperate paddling like mad to get some control. … He was only the size of a toonie at that time.

We gave him to a family several years ago and sadly lost track of his address. With no cell phone or email for him, we had no way of tracking the poor little guy.

I still think of Winston and wonder what he might be doing today – maybe sunning himself on his rock or, heaven forbid, in some kind of turtle soup. 

I do like turtles, and I don’t want to see them get hurt, but let’s not brake for them. 

… For that matter, I can’t remember the last time I saw a turtle on the road, yet our city spent eleven million dollars to put up fencing so that turtles couldn’t get on the road! 

Instead of braking, look. If you see a turtle, you can avoid hitting it without evasive maneuvering or screeching to a halt. 

A good rule for driving – whether there is a pack of turtles on the road or you just haven’t touched your brakes in the last ten seconds – is to simply let your foot off the gas and look.  Just look around; just be aware. You might even save a turtle’s life.

Here’s the thing: Many times we react quickly to what is happening in our lives. We react immediately, much like touching the brakes on a car. But rather than reacting, it is better to pause, get a sense of what God might be doing or teaching you, and then respond with the correct action. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you need to refrain from reacting to right now? Leave your comments below.