Steam Shall Give Way to Sail

Everything moves too fast these days, but unbeknownst to most, you can choose your speed. I have been commuting to my office on two wheels for almost a year. When I started, even though there was a foot of snow on the ground, I would get to the office soaked with sweat—not a good look. Then winter gave way to spring, and spring to summer, and I was even sweatier! I tried different technical fabrics, breathable jackets, and I almost thought of going all Lycra/Spandex for my ride to and from. Turns out, I was just peddling too hard and too fast. I used to be so proud of crushing the few short miles in the fastest time that I could, but now I take my time and get there dry.

Then I think about emails and text messages. Neither stop, but it doesn’t mean I MUST respond. Now most of my messages I don’t see until hours later thanks to fancy “do not disturb” settings on my phone. I check my messages in the morning, at my lunch hour, and then in the evening. No red circles with ever-growing numbers, and no dings or alerts. Nobody seems to care about my delayed responses, though I will say my wife’s messages are set to slip through my cellular red tape.

This past weekend, we drove up to the family lake house for some much needed rest and relaxation. Northern Michigan drivers seem to have an unspoken pact that speed limits are more of suggestions than regulations, but we followed the rules and got there in once piece. Then for the week, aside from one dinner reservation and timing whatever was on the grill, my watch was jewelry, not a tool. We woke with the sun and went to bed when the fire burned out.

When the steam engine came on the scene, it changed everything. On the water, that meant faster and larger vessels that no longer required the wind to move. To this day, powered vessels must give the right away to sailboats. The same goes for the sky, no matter the size of plane, gliders have the right of way.

I certainly don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but if you keep finding yourself actually or figuratively sweaty and worn out when you get to your destination, maybe try a lower gear. You’ll get there when you get there, and most of the time you have the right of way.