Why it’s good to be second in line at the stoplight

Sorry, I’m back on the road. There’ll be an extra dose of kid photos . . . .

Ever notice how vehicles jockey to be first in a lane when the light is red. If there’s an empty lane, cars pulling up in an already occupied lane are apt to slide on over so they too can be numero uno.

Being first in line keeps you revved. You must stay alert. You’ve got to be ready to gas it the nano moment that light turns green.

Contrast that with being second in line, or in any position following. You’re relaxed. You can daydream. You shut down your high-intensity environmental scanning for a minute or two. You might even glance languidly to the left or right.

Thoughts come to you in the most indolent of ways.

For this brief slice of time you’ve become lazy. Tension seeps from your shoulders. Your heart rate subsides a notch. No need to hang on so tightly to the wheel. The cars in front of you will have to make the first move. They will be your cue for action. In the meantime . . . ahhhhh.

Being second in line gives your body-mind the pause it needs in a modern day.