Life's too short to wait in line

Yesterday morning we got up early and went to the beach. We parked in the first row of cars and got to pick where we wanted to sit. When we left, there was a line of sixty cars (I counted as we drove by them) and I had only seen three empty parking spaces. How long do you think these people were going to wait to get to the beach? Then we went out for clams. There was a line there but I said to my husband 'let me out to go stand in line while you park the car'. By the time he got there, we were halfway through the line.

A friend said to me since her stage IV cancer diagnosis that she is much more aware of the pulse of her life. It goes tick tock, tick tock - double time now. Why waste time? Why stand around waiting for others? If you want to go to the beach, either go earlier or later when there isn't a line. Why wait in a line of sixty cars? I mean what's the point? I wont even go into the bad for the environment, waste of gas to sit in an idling car issues here.

My point is there are so many other things you could do with your time. If you can't get in to that beach, go to a different one. Get up earlier so you get in. Why go to lunch at 12 noon like the rest of the city? Go at 1145 or 1245. I was in Tokyo on business a few years ago and everyone went to lunch at 12 noon sharp. There were horrible lines but that is what the entire office did every day. Why? Because that is the lemming factor of life. Give yourself some flexibility and change your habits?

What about that nasty rush hour commute to work? Could you go in half an hour earlier and have a 20 minute community instead of 40 minutes in traffic? Well, maybe if you went to bed 30 minutes earlier you could get up earlier? There are some waits we can't avoid. You might have to wait for two people in front of you at the grocery store but why go when there are ten people in line? Why not go at a less busy time? Plan your trip so you can go when its less busy.

Life is all about choices. You make them and have to live with them. If you want to wait in line, feel free. I'm not.