A Complete Stop

There's a well-traveled intersection in our township where there is often an extra set of eyes watching to see if vehicles make complete stops. Believe me. I know 2 people who have been ticketed for the ol' rolling stop at 48th and Wazeecha.

The friendly officer's advice (to my girlfriend, not me, I swear): "If you want to make sure you've come to a complete stop, look at the road ahead of you. If it's not moving, you're stopped."

Good advice. I now at least pause for a count of 3 before continuing on.

I came across this stop sign at the end of a dead-end (obviously) today. If you disobey this sign, even with a "rolling" stop, you'll find yourself in Wisconsin's largest lake!

I wondered why there was a sign at the water's edge, but I suppose it was erected for winter so motorists would stop and check out the ice thickness before venturing further onto Lake Winnebago. On the first day of spring, though, that didn't come to mind. Instead, seeing this within minutes of a visit at the nearby prison, I found it symbolic. Wouldn't it be great if the signs to stop on the path we're headed were as obvious? Keep going and you're going to be in hot, er freezing cold, water. Or stop, turn around and go a different direction.

I think the "signs" are there, but we ignore them, acknowledge them with a rolling stop maybe and keep going.

I had quite a good visit with my nephew Tony around this theme. He is getting to the point in his unplanned journey where he will be traveling in the next few months from one set of walls to another, in a more rehabilitative setting. Then, several more months down the road, no walls.

No more guard rails, so to speak.

It's not going to be any easy road. I know that. I have traveled on it many times. Sometimes as the one in the driver's seat, trying to keep control of the vehicle, aka my life. Other times serving as the guard rail, trying to help someone else get back on track.

I feel blessed that I live near enough to Tony's temporary home so that I have been able to see him, support him, share my experience, strength and hope, and pray for his safe journey. He could always use more prayers, though. 

Sometimes those STOP signs show up out of nowhere and we don't see them until it's too late. Please pray he has the strength to proceed with caution.

We could all use that reminder sign from time to time, couldn't we?