Life

What do you do at stop lights?

I received an forwarded email from one of my friends just now that was better than the average forward (to start with, it wasn’t patently false and didn’t order me to send it on). It was a collection of word trivia and other random (but interesting) facts. This one caught my eye:

If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at red lights.

I doubt I drive as much as the average American (one of the benefits of working from home) but my first thought was, “Wow, six months is a long time to waste!” I started to think about how that time could be used (ever the multitasker!) and thought it would be fun to write a blog post on the topic.

I’ve been forwarded too many stupid emails, though, that don’t have their facts straight, so I wanted to look up the statistic and find a reputable source before I went and made myself look silly. I never did find a specific study (though the number is mentioned all over the place), but I did find the Stop to Pray website.

It’s a simple idea (and along the lines of what I was thinking when I first read the fact): take the “wasted” time at stop lights, and use it to do something you want to spend more time doing; in this case, praying. The site offers a rearview mirror hanger to remind you, and just for a self-addressed stamped envelope. On the one hand, it’s not a big deal, but on the other, for those of us who seriously believe in the power of prayer, think about the potential ROI!

© 2006 Something Epic.