Life's Little Traffic Lights example essay topic

Life's Little Traffic Lights love it, life is so crazy. I've always said if it isn't going to bother me in three to five years, then I'm not going to worry about it now, then I come across what I like to refer to as a "traffic light" you know, those little situations and encounters that make you stop and reminisce about a time and place that you left behind so long ago, deep in the folds of your memory, and the sudden slap of reality that makes you stop and look around and think what's different? , what's changed? , and what path has brought me here? You see a "traffic light is like a memory, better than a picture, it's a feeling you get deep inside. A sudden sense of knowing exactly who you are and why, often times all in the depths of a single moment.

Still confused? Here's an example... It's a fairly brisk day in January of 2002, brisk enough to turn my flesh slightly purple in spots where I'm scarred or bruised, I walk into the dry cleaners after a short work day, to pick up the pants that have been sitting there for about three weeks (I seem to have the memory of a gold fish and the attention span of a fruit fly). Of course I'm in a big damn hurry even though I have no where in particular to be and nothing in my near future has been marked urgent (it's just the sense of urgency that makes whatever it is that I'm doing seem so much more important than what it really is) I encounter a motherly looking middle-aged Native American woman, who in just a smile seems kind and warm enough to pull me from myself and set me back into the reality of my objective. She doesn't know it but she's about to take me for my last $15, but damn I really want to wear those pants tonight. She looks up as she hands me my receipt and very politely asks me with a wonderful note of concern in her voice " your nose it looks bruised, did something happen to it? , having heard this question what seems like a thousand times during the winter months, I give her my standard answer", oh, yes I broke it a couple of years ago, and the mark always shows when its cold outside " won't it ever go away?" she asks still sounding concerned, "no" I plainly reply as if it doesn't sadden me".

Well how did you break it?" , o. k. here's the hard part, how do I tell the truth and avoid useless, demeaning pity at the same time? Before I can think of a way I just answer the question, "some stupid ass-hole guy did it". Oh, it would have to be some man wouldn't it?" , she's not surprised at all. I then scratch the surface of the situation in my usual matter of fact sort of demeanor, and explain that "no, I don't see him anymore, I briefly chalk it up as a "live and learn kind of deal". A traffic light doesn't have to be bad like my personal example. Traffic lights take on many forms, it could be as simple as a sight, a sound, a scent, even a song, or as indicated in my example it could be a person or group, it could even be as simple as a smile.

Some good examples of this may be a song that reminds you of the first time you heard it, and in an instant it takes you back to wherever you were, doing whatever it was you were doing, it can even make you feel whatever it was you were feeling at that time in your life. As a scent, one that always gets me is the smell of a summer evening and the look of the bright blue night sky, it reminds me of playing hide and seek outdoors with my sisters and my uncle Erik when he would come. I can even feel the same excitement and freedom I felt back then and not wanting it to or caring if it ever ended. Occasionally I hear a song that reminds me of a sad time in my life, only now when I hear it although I know it was painful, I get a feeling in my chest as if it will burst. Half of this feeling is a deep ache in my chest, mourning whatever it was that took place and the other half is bursting tremendous joy, joy that its over, joy that I survived, joy that now I'm stronger, better, and a little smarter than I was back then. I thank god for life's little traffic lights.

In a world that moves faster than the speed of information, it gives you that extra added perspective that makes you appreciate where you are today and never lets you forget where you came from..