Be Safe Out There

I hear the same advice from almost everyone. It doesn't seem to matter whether they are family, friends, coworkers, or random strangers that I meet out and about; they all feel compelled to remind me to be careful. On a profound level, I appreciate the concern they show for my personal well being and safety. Those simple words and sincere expressions form an integral part of why I maintain such a strong hope in humanity and the wonderful future that awaits us. Almost all of us strive to make our world a little bit better and we tend to want what is best for those around us.

I do my part to ease the concerns of these friends, family and strangers. Each morning as I select my wardrobe I make certain that I wear colors that could blind Chuck Norris. Whether it is brighter-than-the-sun yellow or I-think-I-ate-that-for-breakfast orange I always leave my house confident that if someone hits me, it will be on purpose. I say that as a joke because I don't think I have yet encountered a driver, among the 100s of thousands with whom I have shared the roads, who actually wanted to hit me. Indeed, even the close calls have stemmed frompeople who were either in too big a hurry, following too closely to the car behind them to see me, or distracted while talking, texting, or otherwise doing something besides driving.

These moments aside I hold such a tremendous hope in humanity and I prove it each and every day. When I am on my bicycle and commuting to and from my office I exercise tremendous faith that you will not hit me. When you ask me to be careful, I assure you that I have done as much as I can to take care so that no harm nor accident might befall me. Having done all that I can do my hope now rests with you. I thank you that each and every day I have arrived at my home and my office and after many years I have done so with barely a handful of really close calls.

For that I thank you. Each and every day my hope in humanity grows and extends. I am not superstitious, nor do I believe in jinxing, but I declare that even if tomorrow I am hit, that incident would not dissuade my optimistic hope for all that is good. For every evil and bad occurrence that I know, I could count hundreds, if not thousands of rich blessings, either in direct response to the evil or just in good deeds done by human beings who show great care and love for each other because that is who we are.

So as I pledge to be careful and to do everything I can to be safe while I am "out there," I am comforted that out on those roads are each of you keeping me safe.