Ignorantia juris non excusat. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Or in my case – not paying attention is no excuse. That is how I got my first traffic citation – moving violation. A year or two after I moved to my community they added a new sign – ‘Right Turn Only’ -to one of streets. I wasn’t accustomed to it and never noticed the new addition. Of course when I was caught, that’s exactly what I told the officer. He calmly informed me it was placed there not so long ago. One would think he might extend a little grace. Not so – he handed me my first citation.
Lessons learned. There’s always one, isn’t there? Always be on the look out for changes. Life comes with shifts, variations, upheavals, upgrades, upswings and transformations of all kinds. We don’t always feel ready for them and they don’t need our permission to show up. Those of us who have learned the art of ‘ rolling with the punches’ tend to find changes more palatable.
Don’t blame others for the price we pay because of our your own distractions. This lesson cost me $167 plus the price of a 4-hour driving course to avoid points on my license. Here’s the brighter side – I didn’t cause an accident. Simply put; it could have been worse. This infraction could have ended up as a misdemeanor or even more serious. So alleluia! Always find a reason to be thankful; this wards off the complaining spirit.
“…Whoever listens to correction acquires good sense” ( Proverbs 15:32b).
Restored Hearts 