Cursive, Playgrounds and Roundabouts
You're probably looking at the title and wondering how I will tie all these things together. Well, I will.
I was among the last generation that formally learned cursive. In fact, I remember being compelled to write papers in cursive at least through grade school and some in junior high and high school. It was the norm then.
But, even in high school, things were changing. I remember taking a typewriting class (timed typing on both manual and electric typewriters) designed for students who thought they might take secretarial jobs after graduating from high school. I took the class because I knew the next year, I’d be taking the first computer programming class my high school offered (taught by the superintendent because he was a passionate believer in computers).
By the time I got to college, my only use of cursive was signing my name. That meant all my notes and any other writing were printed. However, I had another habit that I brought with me from my 3rd grade. In 3rd grade, the girls started using little hearts as the dot on their “i’s.” Not being a girl, I started using a little circle to dot my “i’s.” I learned it so well that I naturally still do it more than 55 years later. I can, if I concentrate, dot my “i’s” with just a dot, but without that additional effort, the circle comes out. Add to this the fact that I write fast, and it makes my handwriting challenging to read (my wife and my administrative assistants over the years have been able to read it).
In 3rd grade, I learned how to perform another important task – walk through moving swings. This was long before the soft foam material of today’s playgrounds. In fact, some playgrounds used gravel (for drainage) under swings and slides and jungle gyms. Anyway, my cohort practiced walking through moving swings (kinda like the timing you need to jump rope). Most kids learned how to walk through one or two moving swings. I found I had a knack for it and could walk through three and maybe four moving swings. The penalty for missing the timing was getting kicked by the kid on the swing.
I think of this learned skill every time I drive through a roundabout (see, I told you I’d tie them together). Conceptually, it is very similar to walking through moving swings. You get to the entrance and have to time your entry to get into the roundabout and avoid getting hit by other vehicles. It might even be a little more complex in that some roundabouts have two lanes and people in that far lane will eventually need to merge right to exit the roundabout.
Because I have learned this skill, I can efficiently enter and leave the roundabout. Unfortunately, like when I was a child, I must wait for the person in front of me to enter the roundabout, and a good many of them don’t have my childhood skill.
In fact, the county replaced a perfectly good stop sign with a roundabout not far from my house. That intersection has a lot of traffic from the high school during the school year, so an inefficient roundabout user might back up traffic quite a bit. One time, I was riding my motorcycle home and there was a red car in front of me at the roundabout. As I slowly pulled up, the red car started to enter the roundabout and, at the last minute, decided that she couldn’t make it and slammed on her brakes. I similarly had to slam on my brakes, and I caught my pant legs in the kickstand as I was putting my feet down. The bike and I fell over. I was going less than 5 mph, so I didn’t get hurt (much), but my head in the helmet hit the pavement. My helmet had what would have been a big goose egg on my head without it (by the way, in case you want to know, you are supposed to replace your helmet if it hits the pavement because the impact might reduce its protective ability). I’m a firm believer in wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle, even though, in Kansas, the law doesn’t require it.
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:1-11 ESV
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Sometimes I get impatient with God (I’m sorry to say) just like I do with inexperienced roundabout users. I constantly need to remind myself that God’s timing and plans are perfect and, even though I don’t understand them, he is leading me right where he wants me to be. Sometimes the inconvenience of waiting at the roundabout may save me from a worse calamity down the road and/or put me in a position to share the good news with someone on my way. I believe God’s plan is far better than my own.
