It’s a good thing I don’t live my life in reverse. Whenever I put the car in the R position, I run a risk of bumping into something, a bigger risk than when I move forward. Why? Because going in reverse requires me to use my rear-view and side mirrors, and oftentimes it’s something I admittedly don’t do well or often enough.

In life, I hate looking backward unless I can focus on good memories. I hate reflecting in the mirror about past hurts, mistakes, and grueling transitions. I dislike, even when there has been some growth in an area, spending time dwelling on things that might have not propelled me forward in life on the path of my desires. But isn’t that the problem here? Perhaps it’s not my desires I should focus on, perhaps it’s not all about me? ME? But isn’t that what memories are all about? How those moments in time made ME feel?

Maybe those MemorMEs are not at all about ME. What if I used those rear-view mirrors to focus on how God was glorified through my trials, hurts, and mistakes? I bet I’d experience less anxiety and angst when recollecting those snippets of perspective on past life.

About a half hour ago, the guy who came to clean our windows said to me, “Should I move my van? Is it in your way?”

Looking down the length of the driveway, I responded, “Nope. I should be able to get around it.”

And then the hustle and bustle of packing the kids in the car for preschool happened, and I put those keys in the ignition, threw the car in reverse and BANG! I drove right into the guy’s van (thank God he was a great sport about it), and I realized I failed once again to use those darn rear-view mirrors.