Rush Hour

Monday through Friday during the summer, the route that I take to work changes.

During the summer, schools are closed and therefore, students, parents and teachers are not traveling on the roadways. Without buses and all those extra cars on the road I can take the shorter distance, travel the same speed, and get to work much quicker.

(God forbid Americans would design public transportation to take the majority of travelers where they need to go. Delaware should design a high speed rail line up the middle of I-95 as well as providing adequate bus or train lines in the southern part of the state. But, I digress.)

Each morning I am reminded about a particular story in Matthew's Gospel. Each morning those of us exiting at Concord Pike gather in a long line.

When I was younger I would drive as far as I could up the middle lane, then cut to the right when there was a break in the line.

At other times, those waiting in line endured those that cut their waiting time by driving up on the right shoulder. At those times, several of us would move to the right straddling both lanes taking away this short cut. So self righteous.

Then, I changed my driving habits. I tended to get in line, travel up slowly and take in the view of the river and woods along the Brandywine River. However, I would seethe at those that still maneuvered their way at high speeds, cutting in or driving up the right.

All in a hurry to get there first. My way was the right way, the correct way to get off the exit.

Eventually, all of those traveling get off the exit. No matter which way we travel, we all get off the exit. Slow or fast. Left, center or right lanes. We all get there.

I do not know when it happened, but I came to care not about when I got off the exit.

Rather, I came to care that I got off the exit.

The last shall be first, the first last. But, they all enter.

Matthew 20:1-16