Have you ever driven through one of those automatic car washes? You know, you drive up, pay for your wash, you're immediately signaled to drive in and at the appointed place you're signaled to stop. Once you stop all kinds of things
happen. Water sprays, soap flies, funny looking noodle creatures rub all over your car and then the process repeats in reverse. If all goes well, you drive out the other side with a clean car.
Well, that's the way it's supposed to happen. One day my wife and I were working on one of our rentals and we decided to take a break. During our break we went to the carwash. We were third in line, so we settled
in to a good conversation and waited our turn.
When the first car pulled out, the second car started up and began the process of pulling into position for the wash. We pulled forward to second position and waited our turn. Just about then we noticed that the car pulling forward missed the appointed spot and the lights went from red to green and a buzzer sounded. She overshot her stopping place. The car wash momentarily spit soap all over her car and then stopped.
She realized she had overshot the stopping place so she put the car in reverse
and began to back up. When she got to the appointed stopping place the buzzer sounded, the light went red and the car wash began spitting soap all over her car. Did she stop? Oh, nooooooo, she kept coming back until the buzzer sounded, the lights turned green, the sign flashed "Pull forward" and she stopped. Now her car is covered with foaming white soap, and she realizes she has gone to far and begin to pull forward.
This went on for about 5 mintues. My poor wife and I are in our car laughing so hard we're crying. By now, the lady has got her car completely covered with soap, but no water. She hasn't landed in the right place long enough to start the car wash. Buzzers are buzzing, lights are flashing and customers are crying, It was quite a scene. She finally pulled out and drove way. She looked like a soapy kid fleeing a bubble bath.
When she pulled away, I suddently felt a little pressure to hit the car wash just right so the car behind us wouldn't be blogging one day about the goofy guy who couldn't line up his car in the car wash. Well, I'm glad to report that I landed in the zone and had a nice car wash.
Life is a lot like that lady in the car wash. Some days you drive in, stop in the right place, get your car washed and drive away like nothing happened. It's a vanilla day, and vanilla is good. Other days you're covered in soapy water driving down the street and you have no idea what just happened. It's just a blur. Ironically, it's those moments of craziness that wake you up, cause you to shake yourself real good and say, "Hey!" You wake out of your routine, laugh at yourself and move on. And, while you drive your soapy car down the street I hope you find the humor in the whole thing (even though you'd like to be invisible right then). It's a Tutti Frutti kind of day. They are so necessary in our lives. They remind us to feel alive when we've fallen into a life of routine. Feel alive my friends, feel alive!
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