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9.24.2013

90-to-40: Stuck behind a tractor and waiting my turn

Day 30:
Have you ever been stuck behind a tractor on the highway during rush hour? As you can see from the picture, that happened to me today. It isn't really that big of a deal, but the absurdity of it seems to make it worse than it is. Well...that, and the fact that there is really nothing you can do but wait your turn to pass. You are powerless and stuck where you are, regardless of your driving skills, the type of car you drive or how many swear words you hurl through the windshield.
Tractors on the highway are the great Midwestern equalizer - kinda like turning 40. When you are staring at the ass-end of 40, it doesn't make a difference who you are, the only difference is how we choose to handle it.
With the tractor situation, I could have cut people off, drove wrecklessly and flipped off the motha f...armer... um... I mean, the nice farmer.
Instead I took a deep breath...and took a picture. It made me realize that sometimes you can only go as fast what is in front of you. You just have to press on and eventually you'll get where you need to be.
I don't know why, but turning 40 is like this tractor sometimes. I am actually ready to get it over with. It's like, "Come on already. Just let me pass it by and continue along the road." And like that tractor, 39 and eleven months is just taking too... damn... long.
But as far as I know, that tractor was a gift from above that kept me out of the way of a speeding driver... or allowed a pedestrian to get out of the way in time. It could have been a blessing. Instead of getting (too) mad... I relaxed and captured the moment.
Why is this story relevant? Well, as of today, I have exactly one month before I turn 40. So... i'll take a deep breath and a few pictures along the way. It will get here in its own good time, and it will give me a good story to tell later.

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