My Sister-in-law, Cathie, (who once lived in George) shared the following unique signage information of that state:
In busy east Marietta, Georgia there was (and probably still is) a traffic sign with the message “GIVE GAP – TAKE GAP.”
Drivers traveling east on this road are expected to leave a gap (Appalachian Speak) between themselves and the car in front of them. Drivers wanting to enter into this traffic are expected to fill the gap that is courteously left for them. Like most traffic rules, this common sense solution for a narrow road works well when drivers give gap, and when those who receive the gap, take the gap–both doing their part so that traffic will continue to run smoothly.
I’m sure it’s wonderful to experience such acts of kindness when coming out of a driveway or parking lot onto a busy street, and there is a constant line of traffic, then look up and see a driver flash their lights or wave for us to enter in front of them. They didn’t have to be told, they just wanted to do the right thing. However, if we just sat there and didn’t accept this offer, we would cause the courteous driver a problem, and people behind him would not be happy campers–blowing their horns or waving some hand signals (like you are #1 with their middle finger)–oops!
Just think how much better this community would be when each citizen practices the grace of giving “gap” in every situation. Whether on the boat, or in a car, or in a negotiation involving a few dollars, or thousands of dollars, or dealing with dealing with a personal relationship. This community would become a model of courtesy and the response would be one of great gratitude and even more kindness. This potentially could spread like wildfire to the rest of our county, the state, country and the world–what a wonderful concept!
Possibly our world could do with more of this signage as a reminder to “do the right thing”.
Along a similar note, as I’ve mentioned previously, I do enjoy Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday programs. At the end of one of her recent shows on what she calls Super Soul Shorts, I heard rapper and motivator, Prince Ea, present us with a challenge to see beyond our differences and illuminate the heart of our shared humanity as he refers to a room full of many different light bulb types with this meaningful analogy:
“What if this light bulb was the cure to racism, sexism and classism? Here me out–do you know what people and light bulbs have in common?
We both express different colors, have different shapes, different sizes, we are manufactured in different places. Some of us are bright, some dim, some clear and some broken.
Many of these bulbs appear to be very different on the outside–but the thing about these lights is that there is one current running through each one–in the same way there is a singular energy running through each person on this planet.
It doesn’t matter what you look like, gender or nationality–that’s just the bulb. Inside of that is who you really are–energy.
You don’t believe you are energy? Well, riddle me this…say you have a friend named Jim and you’ve been visiting Jim in the hospital and then one day unfortunately, Jim dies on the operating table. You say, ‘oh no, Jim died, but his body is still there,’ his race, his gender, but you say Jim died because you know that Jim was allot more than his body–he was the intelligent energy that gave life to his body. “
Energy is what we are and energy has no color–it is not Republican nor Democrat, white or black. Energy is not Christian, Muslim or Atheist…energy is–energy just is.
We are intelligent, creative, universal energy. And if we understood that, then we would finally know what wise men and women have been trying to tell us since the dawn of time–that we are one.”
Live in love, Warriors–let’s practice giving gap and taking gap with honor and dignity.