The Order of Things

Ever since the hurricane, I have used a new-to-me way to get to and from my house. I discovered this new-to-me way the day after Roslyn re-arranged a few things around here, including the road to my home.

Normally, to get to Casa Sama from the village, you would pass through a couple of dirt roads before dipping under the highway and then crossing three river bends. The whole thing flanked by fields of tall grasses, with the jungle on all sides. Occasionally you would encounter a whole bunch of cows being herded by vaqueros and many dogs. It's a beautiful walk and what attracted me to this area a year ago, until eventually ... well, here I am living in the middle of one of these fields.

But on day 2 of moving here, the wilds winds and huge rain made it so that the first part of the trip is a really messy and unpleasant. So, I use the bypass that has been shown to me, which asks for me to actually cross the highway if I am driving.

Since we are still in the final stage of construction (It is possible that it will be done today or Monday), I make several trips each day. A bag of stucco, la comida, a ride back to town at the end of the day, whatever is needed to support the process, I am on it.

And lately, as I arrive  to this one little part at the end of the hilly point of dirt road, the part where I am about to cross the two-lane highway, I think about The Order of Things.

Two lanes.

I have to wait for a clearing in both lanes in order to make it to the other side.

On this road, going both ways, there are many trucks, cars, motorcycles, police, all kinds of vehicles zipping by.

When someone is riding with me, I ask them to look to the right and to simply say to me "Si" when that side of the highway, the side going South, is clear. I learned early on to ask for only the tiny two-letter words so as to avoid confusion. It works. If I am alone, my eyes are glued to that part of the road.

THEN, and only when I get the "Si", do I get to see how my side, the northbound side looks. If it is also clear, I press the pedal and haul butt across the road.

The Order of Things.

If the southbound side is not clear, it does not matter AT ALL what the northbound side is doing.
Which means that any energy spent of looking at that side is useless. Possibly stressful. A waste of energy.

I love that. I love knowing The Order of Things. I love focus and I love simple.

So, what comes first?
What has to happen before even a morsel of energy is spent on something else, on the next step?
Also, what is the cost of looking at both lanes at once?