Move Over
It was one of those snowy, sub-zero, January days. We were out driving when all of a sudden we found ourselves bumper to bumper with another car. There was snow and ice piled up three feet on either side of us and just two narrow tracks going down the middle of the street. We were like two trains on the same tracks going in opposite directions.
“Move over!” the driver of the other car waved at me. He could see me coming but I could not see him. As we sat there I looked down the road and could see several places where he could have pulled off, but he passed them up and kept coming. He wasn’t about to move over. Move over,” he again waved, this time more impatiently.
Well, I was getting a little hot under the collar. He could see I had children in my car. What if I got stuck while trying to pull over? That would possibly mean taking the children out in the sub-zero temperatures. Why should I move over anyway?! He’s in a better position to move over. Two can play this game, I thought. We’ll both just sit here!
I was just about ready to shift my car into “park” when I remembered a story about two farmers who found themselves in similar circumstances. One was coming from the market, the other going to the market, and there they were midway on a one way bridge. For two hours they argued about who got there first. Who had the right of way?
After about a two and a half hour standoff, one farmer yelled out in frustration, “Well, we’ll sit here until doomsday. I’ll not move for any darn fool!”
The other farmer immediately picked up his reins and began packing up his wagon. “Well, I will!” he shouted.
CONSIDER how many times we find ourselves in similar situations with other people. Neither party will move over or give an inch. A standoff! More times than not, I suspect, it’s a matter of pride. It’s over something foolish. We would be willing to sit “til doomsday” not going anywhere, just as long as the other guy can’t go anywhere either. There are times to stand our ground but there are times we should move over. The wise person knows the difference.
Well, I went ahead and moved over, all the time remembering those two farmers and laughing to myself about what the one farmer said to the other. Move over and have a little chuckle!
Rev. Wendell Mettey
1/16/2014
