Allow me, if you will, to teach you a anecdotal lesson. That you probably already know. But don’t like to know that you know.

I’m riding home on a dual carriageway in pouring rain. Because of the conditions I slowed down to allow the gap to the vehicle in front to widen to about twice the norm. Almost immediately, the vehicle behind me overtakes and fills the gap. I drop back some more…same thing happens. Rinse repeat three or four times until my exit.

Saving seconds by risking lives.

Put like that, it doesn’t sound like a good deal, does it? Sure as hell doesn’t to me.

But to be entirely fair it doesn’t feel like that at the time. Humans are by nature impatient. When we have a destination in mind — we want to get where we are going. Half the time, if we stepped back to think about actions we take while journeying, we’d think ourselves crazy. I for one have made several maneuvers that have surprised me, nevermind others.

Stupid. Reckless. But only in hindsight.

It genuinely took an effort of will to maintain a safe stopping distance gap as rain seeped into my ‘waterproof’ (nothing ever is) boots. It was truly an exercise in patience — something I need to apply more often.

However, patience is only a virtue in moderation. Don’t spend your whole life being patient, moving slowly and surely. Not every opportunity will be served up to you. Sometimes…often, even…risk is necessary. But eliminate the unnecessary risks first. Spend your risk wisely, as it were. There is no perfect moment to strike. An average opportunity becomes the perfect moment the instant you decide it is the moment, and grab for it.

Be the eye’s calm and the storm’s force. Seek the balance between immovable patience and unstoppable motion.

Until next time, signing off.

Thought for the day: Ralph W. Emerson — Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience