Running....a rant and a life lesson

Every morning somebody tries to kill me.

I run on the side of the road facing traffic.  I stop at red lights.  I watch out for cars.  I wear very, very bright clothing.  I do not run in "ninja mode."  You know, black tights, black shirt, black cap like a lot of runners.  I wear a super bright shirt.  I wear shoes that light up the daytime.  Like shirts and shoes so bright that it almost hurts your eyes to look at them.  And if it is dark, I wear lights.  I am careful and aware.

But many drivers are not.

I'm not talking about the drivers who are already on the road where I am running.  They are generally considerate and  pull over to give me extra space.  The people who try to kill me are the ones who are turning right onto the road where I am running.

It happens EVERY morning.  This morning it happened 3 times.  Someone pulls up to a red light or a stop sign, intending to turn right onto the main road.  But that driver does not stop.  I am pretty sure that everyone knows you are supposed to stop for red lights and stop signs.  But most people turning right do NOT stop at red lights or stop signs.  They pull up enough to glance to the left and see if a car is coming.  If there is no car coming from the left, the drivers zip around the corner without even looking to their right.  Not even a slight glance.  They just plow on around without stopping.  They run the red light or roll on through the stop sign and nearly hit me, even though I have the right-of-way AND am running on the side of the street going into traffic.  They WOULD hit me if I had not learned by now that these people are not going to stop and that I need to stop to avoid getting hit.

When the driver finally notices me I get one of two reactions:  either the driver gives me a dirty look, the finger, and yells at me for being on the road, or the driver grimaces and mouths "sorry" as he or she realizes what would have just happened if I had not stopped--even though I had the right of way.  If I get the first reaction, I hit their car as they drive by.  If I get the latter, then I smile and wave and hope that the next time that driver comes to that stop sign, he or she will stop and look both ways.

So next time you need to turn right onto a road, go ahead and look to the left to make sure you can pull out safely. But also, STOP at the red light or stop sign and please turn your head and glance to your right to see if some crazy mom is out there running and doing her best to make it home alive to feed her kids breakfast and drive them to school.

And now the life lesson I used in a talk to the Young Women at church:
Running in ninja mode is not safe.  Wearing all black on a dark morning run is just asking for trouble.   When you run like Mark, with 4 red bike lights around your waist, reflective tape sewn all over your clothes and a headlamp lighting up the night, that is safe.  Sure, there are some idiot drivers who will still not see you, but they would not see you no matter what.  And there will be sometimes an idiot bus driver who does see you and purposely tries to hit you and then yells at you because you are running in the bike lane and you have no right to be in the bike lane....  But for the most part, being bright and shining out in the darkness keeps you safe while running.  Light keeps you safe.  Running in the dark dressed like a ninja, trying to go unnoticed, is a recipe for disaster.  Sure, running like a Christmas tree can be embarrassing--especially to your kids.  Sometimes middle school kids at the bus stop might laugh at you when you run by in all your blinking brightness.  But being alive and a little embarrassed is better than looking like a cool ninja and being dead.

If we go through life, school, work, etc., brightly shining with who we are, what we believe, what our standards are, and making it clear what we do and will not do, then that keeps us safe.  People will notice us.  People will notice we are different.  People will notice what we believe and that we are true to it, and that will keep us safe.  You will light up the world around you.

The apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."  We, likewise, cannot be ashamed of it, either.  We are told to "Arise and shine forth."

If you are the only girl at the prom who is NOT wearing a dress that resembles a bath towel, you will stand out.  People will notice.  They will know you are different, and they will respect you.  It might feel a little embarrassing to be the one who says, "No, I'm not going to that party," or, "I cannot watch that movie."  But people will see you light up, and they will back off and leave you alone because they respect you.  If you are the only kid at school who doesn't cheat, drink, or smoke pot, people will notice.  You might get laughed at or teased a bit, but you will stay safe.  However, when you "arise and shine forth" by standing up for what you believe, others will respect you and stay out of your way just as drivers who notice a runner's flashy lights let him run in safety.  Sure, there will be a crazy person now and then who purposely tries to get the Mormon kid to drop his or her standards.  But those people will more likely go after an easy target--they will pick on a kid going to school in ninja-mode.  These are the kids who try to not let anyone know who they really are or what they believe.  They are afraid to stand up for what they know is right.  That is just as dangerous as running in the dark wearing  all black.

Even if it is a little embarrassing to stand out like a Christmas tree in a school or office full of ninjas, it is much safer and you will bring light into the lives of others as they look to you for an example.

In the book of Matthew it says, "Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."