The bells are dinging....

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I am not an auto mechanic.   I don't know much about engines or cars.   But one thing I do know is that people have spent years engineering cars so that we are warned when every little thing goes wrong.   A bell sounds and a light comes up on the dashboard, and we stop what we are doing as soon as possible to check the problem, because this automobile costs a lot of money and we wouldn't want it to stop working.

So today when I was driving my car and the light came on to tell me that I needed to stop for gas, why did I decide to go ahead and drive out to Zona Rosa and do all my shopping and then start my drive home before finally deciding I should stop since my odometer thingy says in approximately 4 miles I will be completely out of gas?   Why did I feel like I couldn't take the time to do one small thing I needed to do before moving on with my day?  Maybe I thought other things were too important?   Maybe I thought I could outsmart the engine?   Maybe I get a charge out of the game of chicken I was playing.   I don't know.   

I filled up my tank with 4 miles to empty, and then sat in my car a minute and the thought literally came into my head.....

A DINGING GAS LIGHT IS A METAPHOR FOR MY LIFE LATELY!!!  

It's warning me that I need to stop and take care of something, and yet it's something I completely ignore.   I ignore it until I am almost at a point of crisis, and then I slide in by the skin of my teeth and take care of it.  Not smart...and not something I would encourage others to do.   And frankly something I would yell at my husband about.... it's ridiculously simple!   When the bell dings, you have a short amount of time to refuel or your car will STOP WORKING!

You can probably see where I am going here.   My bells are CONSTANTLY dinging it seems lately, and I have been completely ignoring them.   I haven't been eating regularly, I haven't been listening to my body, I haven't been sleeping well....and all through the day my dashboard lights are dinging and flashing......and I simply keep driving and try to muddle through.  And guess what.....I don't feel good physically, emotionally, or otherwise.   It's a simple thought really......when the bell dings......STOP!  Assess the situation and take it from there.   Sometimes it might necessitate  a snack, or a nap, and sometimes it might require a talk with a friend or someone who can lend you a little advice.   But the bottom line is....when the bell dings, there is a potential problem, and whether or not your run out of gas at that point is completely up to you.   You've been warned.  

So...I am going to try to choose to listen to my built in warning system a little more efficiently, cuz frankly, the well oiled machine that I am (ha!) can't take much more of this abuse.   Time for a little overhaul.  :)


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