Traffic

I work in busy Manhattan, populated with annoying ass tourists at all times of the day and annoying ass natives mindlessly staring at their phones, even when crossing busy ass intersections. I know I used "annoying" 50-11 times in that sentence, but it's seriously annoying AS FUCK. That being the case, I make my way in front of every and anybody with their phone out at any corner. You won't hold me up cause you're not paying attention.

A few days ago, I thought I was in good position at a corner, on my way to work. A man cut through and started to cross a second or two before me when I really thought I had a leg up. I realized in that moment that I had been watching the light - waiting for it to indicate that it was time to cross - and he had been watching the actual traffic, realizing at a certain point that no cars were coming and he could go. I didn't realize it at the time, but he had taught me a valuable lesson. It didn't hit me until today when I employed that same tactic to get the edge on the - again - annoying ass tourists and phone zombies.

It immediately got me thinking and I came to this conclusion: there are two types of people in this world - those who watch the light, and those who watch the traffic. Marinate on that for a minute.

Americans especially have become so complacent with our technology and our conveniences that we rely on them to tell us when to act, even how to act. But think about the last time you looked at someone who you at least perceived as winning and think about the difference between them and you. I'm not a proponent of comparison AT ALL but I think this is relevant. Those people who get ahead in life are ahead because they don't sit back and wait for anything to tell them it's okay to move. They watch the same shit those conveniences and technological advances were built to watch and they act accordingly. Does it really make any sense to stand immobile at a corner because the light is still red and the pedestrian signal is showing "don't walk" when you can see with your own eyes that no cars are coming? Come on, somebody! LOL

I just want you all to take some time to think about how you're moving in your life and consider how much of it is spent waiting for permission. Just open your eyes and pay attention. You could open up whole new worlds just listening to that voice inside you that says: GO.

I love yall. Be great.