Steve's Writing: Surviving Boston Drivers (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Surviving Boston Drivers (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

Upon moving to Massachusetts for work, I spent my first few weeks terrified by Boston drivers.

Not so much by their bad driving—though it was truly bad—but more by their unpredictability. I had no idea what they would do next. And yet, I had to enter that fray at least twice every working day.

When I voiced my concern to a church friend, he touched my arm and gently said, “I can help.” He shared an essential wisdom that gave me some much-needed confidence. What he shared was this: In the mind of every Boston driver is one thought: “Can I make it?”

Soon, I was driving all over the Boston area without undue fear (a little fear was still a good idea). It all made a kind of crazy sense. I learned to watch, not the cars, but the faces of those nearby drivers. Directional signals? Forget it. Lane location? Meaningless. Where were they looking? That told me everything I needed to know.

Important lessons I learned:

(1) Those Boston drivers were not going to change (no matter how much I wanted them to change, and no matter how much they needed to change).

(2) Imparted wisdom may be for them but sometimes the wisdom is for me.

(3) As for Boston drivers, I was the one who had to change, and my friend’s wisdom helped me do it.

All of this week’s scriptures are related to wisdom. It is easy to conclude that the wisdom of the scriptures is for someone else—for them, not me. Well, of course, not me. None of us wants to think of ourselves as unwise. Quick quiz: Do you ever read scripture and immediately think of someone who would benefit from adopting that code or mode of conduct? Someone who is not you? Might need to rethink that imparted wisdom.

I have realized that all of this week's scriptures are about me, and are for me, not them. So, I’ve been re-reading the passages with me in mind instead of someone else. My takeaway: heed Wisdom's call, and just assume those are for me. Can’t go wrong with that approach. I choose the instruction that leads to life.

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PHOTO: Adobe Express filtered through Photoshop Express

An article explaining why Boston traffic is SO BAD):

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2017/04/30/boston-traffic/

The Boston Driver’s Handbook is a hilarious read (and essential should you ever want to drive in Boston). See it here: https://www.amazon.com/Boston-Drivers-Handbook-Streets-Almost/dp/0306813262/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536798162&sr=8-1&keywords=the+boston+drivers+handbook

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Join us on Zoom** or in the function room at Our Breakfast Place Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. As usual, we gather at 8:00 for an hour-ish of visiting, reading scripture, praying, and discussing.

No one is required to drive in Boston.

Blessings,

Steve

**Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=382&z=p&d=75

Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Bx_Proper19.pdf

Proverbs 1:20-33

Psalm 19